Welcome to the Family
by RedtheBrunette
Summary: Now complete! Ch.12 [“You saved us,” Allie murmured, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”]
1. Chapter 1

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.

Welcome to the Family

Chapter 1

Thirty-five year old Sara Sidle sighed in irritation, brushing her hair roughly from her face. She trudged wearily down the hallway of her apartment building, thinking longingly of her large bathroom shower.

"Um, Sara Sidle?" asked a slightly timid voice behind her, just as she was inserting her key into the lock.

Wearily, Sara turned to face the other woman. She was younger, 29 or 30. She was 5"4 with a slim, willowy build. Her hair was a light, honey-brown that fell in straight layers to her mid-back and held back by a black hair band and her eyes were a bright green flecked with brown. She was wearing a pair of faded, frayed and patched blue jeans and a snug well-worn black T-shirt with "Simple Plan" scrawled across it in green. She carried an overly large grey sweater over one arm and had a black duffel bag slung over the other shoulder.

"Yea, that's me," Sara answered, "But if you're another reporter about the Henderson case, it's already been closed and Captain Brass has already issued a statement-"

"No, no," the younger woman interrupted, toying nervously with the strap of her bag, "I-I'm not a reporter-a-actually I'm a designer b-but that's not why I'm here. I'm-that is-I mean," she paused, taking a deep breath before blurting, "My name is Regina Sidle."

Sara's mouth dropped as she gazed at the younger woman, speechless. Slowly, incredulously, her brown eyes ran over Regina's features, finally recognizing why Regina looked so familiar.

Regina nervously tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, licking her lips as she said, "I-I'm you sister. I-I was given up a-at birth. I-I know, th-that since you're a CSI, yo-you're su-suspicious, so I-uh-I brought these."

Numbly, Sara accepted the two pieces of paper Regina had pulled from one of the pockets of her bag. One was Regina's original birth certificate, and then the one that had changed her last name-Sara could only assume Regina's adoptive parents had done this soon after her adoption.

"I, um, I changed my last name back to Sidle soon after I discovered I was adopted," Regina offered, trying to fill the silence.

"I think I need to sit down." Sara moaned turning and finishing unlocking the door to her apartment.

Sara walked into her apartment, waving Regina-her sister! - in behind her. Sara carelessly kicked off her shoes, padding into the kitchen and turning on the coffeepot. Regina stood uncertainly in front of the door she'd just shut, one hand toying with the hem of her shirt.

"Come in the kitchen," Sara offered, staring at the coffeemaker with a thoughtful frown while she drummed her fingers on the counter.

Regina took off her shoes, placing them neatly on the floor beside the door. Gently, she dropped her sweater and bag beside her shoes, but no in the way of the door.

She stood in nervous uncertainty in the doorway, watching Sara. Sara ran her hand irritably through her hair, glaring at the coffeemaker until it beeped at her.

Pouring herself a cup, Sara offered the pot to her sister, but Regina shook her head, "Um, no thanks. I don't drink coffee."

"Help yourself to the fridge than," Sara offered, leaning back against the counter while she sipped at her coffee, eyes distant as she seemed to be taking it all in.

"Uh, that's okay. I'm good." Regina said, chewing again on the bottom of her lip before saying slowly, "Uh, maybe I should go? You know, let you process it all? I can-uh- come back another time, if you'd like?"

"No. I'm sorry, its just-I don't-" Sara faltered, chewing on her own bottom lip as she searched for the words to say.

"Know what to say?" Regina offered with a wry smile and a tired sigh as she slumped into a kitchen chair, "Tell me about it."

"Hey!" Sara argued with a soft smile, "You atleast have had more time to process this than I have!"

Regina nodded solemnly, offering her newfound sister a light smile as she replied, "Yea, I've had since I was 18 to process all the crap that comes with finding out your entire life was a lie."

Sara cocked her head curiously, asking, "What did you do when you found out about it?"

Regina winced, "I flipped. Screamed at my entire adopted family for about ten minutes before I got in the truck I shared with my brothers and drove away. I ended up at my oldest adopted brother's apartment and I crashed on his apartment until my adopted mom showed up. WE fought again, and I left again, this time on foot. I ended up running into a girl I used to go to high school with and with whom I'd lost touch with when she dropped out at 15.

"At 18, she was living with a 30-year-old alcoholic man and she had 3 children-all with different fathers." Regina shrugged, giving Sara a wry, half-smile, "After that I kind of wandered for a while and ended up back a t my adopted brother's place. By that time I figured maybe I'd over-reacted a little, and so we all got together and talked it out."

"And after that?" Sara asked, her CSI coming forward to sit her in a chair opposite her sister.

"After that I saved up a bunch of money, and, with the help of a private detective, began looking for my biological family." Regina replied.

Sara sighed, running a weary hand over her brow as she said, "And then, of course, you found out the wonderful Sidle family history."

"Our family's pretty messed up," Regina agreed with a slight grin.

Sara laughed slightly, asking, "So, then what happened?"

"Well…I-um-I went to see our mom," Regina said, looking up at her stony-faced sister shyly through her lashes, "She-uh-she told me everything-well, sort of."

Regina took a deep breath before continuing, "She told me that she and our father got married too young because our mother was pregnant with our older brother Troy. I know you were born 3 years after him. I know our parents were hippies who owned a B&B in Tamales Bay, San Francisco." She took another deep breath and met Sara's eyes as she finished, "And I know I'm the reason our mother stabbed out father when you were seven."

"What?" Sara asked, startled brown eyes flying up from their perusal of the kitchen table.

"She said she hadn't told you," Regina sighed resignedly, licking her lips before continuing, "Our mother was 2 and a ½ months pregnant with me when she stabbed out father. She-She stabbed him because he-he didn't want me around and he was going to-to beat her stomach until she miscarried."

Sara's mouth fell slightly open as she gazed silently and blankly at her sister. "You're 28 then?" Sara asked faintly, waiting for Regina's affirmative nod before asking hoarsely, "Why didn't she ever tell me about you?"

"She didn't know what happened to me," Regina answered softly, "After I was born, the state took me away and put me into adoption, but didn't tell her anything. She said she didn't tell you because she didn't know if I'd ever want to find my biological family, or if I was even alive, and she didn't want you to search for someone who might not be around your whole life-like she had.

"B-But I don want to know you." Regina whispered tearfully, "O-Our mother said sh-she didn't want anything else to d-do with me a-after she t-told me, th-that I'd already ruined her life enough. A-And Troy doesn't wa-want an-anything to do w-with me either, b-but I'm okay with that. He's kind of sc-scary.

"B-But you're amazing Sara. All that crap you went through in all those foster homes, you came out on top! You got into _Harvard_-a year early!" Regina smiled softly through the light layer of tears that were falling down her face, "Please. Let me get to know you-be my sister."

Sara looked shocked a moment, but, instinctively, she came around the table, and the two women wrapped their arms around each other. And, suddenly, Sara's own floodgates opened and both women cried loud, angry sobs into each other's hair.

Without really deciding it, the two women stood, arms still wrapped around each other, as they made their way into the living room. They collapsed on Sara's couch, continuing to cry, unable to stop now that they'd started.

They sat like that for twenty minutes before the crying stopped. Sara's living room fell into a companionable silence as both women finally felt better. They ended up sitting on opposite ends of the couch, both sitting with their backs against the armrests and their knees bent, their feet overlapping on the middle cushion.

It had been silent for 5 minutes when Regina suddenly sat up, her hair band crooked. Sara lifted her head lazily, gazing curiously at her sister.

"Hungry?" Regina asked with twinkling eyes.

"Strangely enough, yes." Sara returned, her statement punctuated by a loud growl from her stomach.

Regina grinned, tumbling off the couch, asking, "How about a PB and J?"

"I haven't had one in _years_," Sara said wistfully, adding, "With a tall glass of milk."

"Yummy," Regina agreed, padding into Sara's kitchen, her sister following a few steps behind her soon after.

Giggling like schoolgirls, the two made a pile of sandwiches-with a tall glass of milk for each of them- and sat at the kitchen table. Oddly, they lapsed easily into conversation, immensely enjoying each other's company.

"What's your adoptive family like?" Sara asked, tilting her head slightly, curious as to what the people who'd raised her sister were like.

Taking a sip of milk, Regina grinned slightly, "They're nuts. My adopted mom is 65, but she doesn't really look it. Her name's Betty, she was a stay-at-home kind of mom. My adopted dad is 67 and he owns his own garage. His name's Timothy. He's a but stern but he was always fair. Then there's the 4 boys; Jacob, Louis, James and Nathan. Jacob is 4 years older than me and married with 3 kids-he's the owner of a deli. Louis and James are twins 3 years older than me-Louis is single but James is married with 2 kids and they're co-owners of an architect firm. Nathan is a year older than me-he helps Dad at the garage. He's gay, actually."

"You really love them, huh?" Sara asked with a smile, seeing the love shine in her sister's eyes as she spoke if the family she'd been raised with and by.

Regina shrugged, grinning sheepishly, "Yea, I guess. You know Sar…my dad told me that-if you wanted to when I found you- he'd love to have you come down for a holiday if you'd like."

Sara looked shocked, but smiled softly, "I'll think about it, Regina."

"Blech!" Regina protested, "Call me Reggie, only my mom still calls me Regina."

Sara laughed, grinning at her sister and Reggie asked, "So, what's it like to be a Crime Scene Investigator?"

Sara shrugged, "It can be the absolute worst job in the world, and then it's like there's nothing better than being a CSI."

Reggie grinned, "Sounds like fun."

"It is." Sara agreed with a grin, 'So, what's it like being a…designer did you say?"

"I'm a fashion designer, would you believe?" Regina smiled back, eyes shining happily.

"Really?"

"Yup," Regina grinned, "I specialize in woman's clothing-duh!" both women laughed, "It's mostly like fancy clothes-you know, formal, semi-formal, that kind of thing. It's cool, because, since I own my own store, I can sell my own clothes and no one can dictate me about it."

"You're 28 and you own your own business?" Sara goggled, her glass forgotten halfway to her mouth.

Regina laughed, "My dad paid for the store, but as business picked up, I paid him back. I was pretty pricey at first, but then, once I got enough saved up, I started dropping the prices-which got me more business and then more money, so it was cool."

"That rocks," Sara grinned, then frowned, setting her glass back down as she nervously asked, "So-um- when are you-uh- when are you going back?"

"Huh? Going back?" Reggie asked, scrunching her nose up in confusion.

"To…uh, you never told me where you grew up?"

"Boston." Reggie answered promptly.

"Oh. Okay." Sara paused, "So-uh, when do you have to go back? I mean, I know you have a store to run and your family's down there."

"You're my family too." Regina said softly.

Sara's mouth dropped open slightly as she gazed at the younger girl with a curious expression on her face. All her life, people-people who didn't even know the horrors of her past- hadn't wanted anything to do with her, and here was Regina, who'd known her all of two hours, willingly admitting that her relation to her.

"I-um-I was thinking about-um- maybe opening a store up here." Regina said, nervously into the silence, nervously biting her lip, "I-I'd like to get to know you."

It wasn't often that Sara took a risk when it involved her emotions- the thought of the chance of feeling again like she had after her father's death and her mother's imprisonment scaring her too much. But her sister's big, honest brown-flecked green eyes begged her to take the plunge for her.

Sara took a deep breath, meeting said eyes as she whispered gently, "There's always someone looking for fancy clothes in Vegas."  
**XoXoXoXo**

A/N Well, what do you think? Let me now, huh?

'My love,

Red


	2. Chapter 2

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.

Welcome to the Family

Chapter 2

Regina woke with a moan to the sound of her sister's cell phone. Tiredly, she rubbed her eyes, glancing at her dainty silver wristwatch to read the time-10:30PM- and reached for the annoying thing with a yawn, hearing her sister in the shower.

The two women had spent another 2 hours just talking after the initial two, when Regina had insisted upon Sara heading to bed. The older woman had only agree if Reggie would crash on her couch-it seemed finally finding the sister you'd been searching for for ten years was quite exhausting.

"Hello?" Regina asked groggily using her free hand to stifle another yawn.

"Er-Sara?" asked a semi-confused youngish male voice.

"No, I'm Reggie. Sar's in the shower. Can I take a message?" she returned absently, sleepy eyes searching for a pen and paper.

"Er-um-can you just tell her to call Greg when she's done?"

"Sure Greg. Buh bye." Reggie answered, flipping the phone shut and dropping it back onto the coffee table, snuggling deeper into the couch.

"Hey, Reg? Who were you just talking to?" Sara asked, stepping into the hallway while toweling her hair.

"Greg." Reggie mumbled, pulling the light comforter over her head in an attempt to tell her sister to go away. She didn't listen.

"Greg? As in Greg Sanders?" Sara asked incredulously, "How the hell do you know Greg? And where is he?"

"Yes. I don't know if it was Greg Sanders, I _don't_ know him, and I don't know where he is." Regina answered irritably, lowering the blanket to glare at her older sister, "What I _do_ know is that I didn't get a lot of sleep with all that talking and I'm _tired_!"

Sara giggled at her younger sister's reaction before her forehead wrinkled in confusion, asking, "How were you talking to Greg?"

"He called your cell phone and the only way to make it stop was answering it, and since you were in the stupid shower, I answered it." Regina replied, replacing the comforter over her head before adding, "You're supposed to call him back. Now go away crazy lady, it's too soon to be awake!"

"Sleep when you're dead!" Sara answered, pulling off Reggie's comforter while she grabbed her cell phone off the coffee table.

"Sara!" Reggie whined, curling into a fetal position to try and regain the warmth the blanket had provided her boxer-set clad body against Sara's air-conditioned apartment.

Sara ignored her, however, dialing Greg's cell phone. On ring later, Greg's voice replied, "Sanders!"

"Hey 'Sanders', what's up?" Sara teased gently, dancing back from her sister's reaching arms.

"Sara! Hey!" came Greg's enthusiastic answer. He paused, then asked curiously, "Who the hell is 'Reggie'?"

"My lover," Sara joked, causing her sister's rumpled head to pop curiously over the armrest to stare at her.

Greg laughed before sobering abruptly. In the background, Sara could hear Grissom scolding him for…something.

"Sorry boss." Greg said sheepishly, before turning his attention back to Sara, saying nervously, "Er-Sara, I know it's your night off, but about 10 minutes ago we got a quadruple homicide. It's all shift."

"No! Gr-eg!" Sara whined, dropping into her armchair dejectedly.

"Whassamatter Sar?" Reggie asked in concern as she yawned

"Sorry, Sar. Grissom's orders." Greg said wearily.

Sara sighed, pouting slightly but obediently answered, "I'll be there soon."

"Later, Sar."

"Bye Greg," she sighed, turning off her phone and glaring at angrily at it.

"Sara, what's wrong?" Reggie demanded in her concern, "Where are you going?"

Sara sighed, "I've got to go into work-even if I don't want to."

"Blech! Work!" Reggie protested, adding, "This isn't fair! We were supposed to spend today bonding and stuff-you know, being sisters!"

"I know!" Sara whined before saying resignedly and pulling herself into a standing position, "Now what are you going to do today?"

Reggie shrugged, leaning over the couch armrest to snatch back the blanket and wrapped it around herself again as she sat up on the couch, "I dunno-probably look for a place. And I'm going to need a store too. And I don't want an apartment-all those people with access to the building gives me the creeps."

"So you're going to but a house to live in by yourself?" Sara asked with an upraised eyebrow, grabbing her shoes and sitting on the floor to lace them up.

"It'll be little one-maybe." Reggie shrugged, "Either way, it won't be an apartment. I just don't like them-er, no offense meant."

"None taken," Sara assured her, stopping as a sudden thought occurred to her, "Reggie, do you even have a car?"

"Er-no," she admitted sheepishly, "I hadn't thought about that."

"Then hurry and get dressed and you can drive me to work and use my car. I'll catch a ride with one of the boys if I need one." Sara said with a smile.

"Thanks Sar!" Reggie exclaimed excitedly, quickly grabbing some clothes from her duffel and skipping down the hall into the bathroom.

She emerged no more than 5 minutes later. She was wearing short, vibrant orange shorts depicting yellow, white and blue flowers and a white tank top with "PARTY GIRL!" in neon pink. She had a light layer of make-up, mascara, black eyeliner and orange eye shadow on one lid and pink on the other. Her hair was pulled back in a sloppy bun and she wore two different socks-a green one and a purple one.

"Er-Reg? You've got two different socks on." Sara pointed out, blinking slightly at the vibrant colours her sister wore as Reggie stuffed her feet into her worn blue sneakers.

"I know," Reggie grinned, pulling a white purse out of her duffel and opening the apartment door calling back, "You coming or what?"

Sara shook her head as she followed her sister-she was surely in for one hell of a ride.  
**XoXoXoXo**

"Thanks again Sar. What time do you want me to pick you up?" Reggie asked as Sara opened the door to the truck in the CSI parking lot.

"Dunno-I'll call your cell-I programmed your number into my cell last night. And try not to get lost-_please_!" Sara asked, the pair having already gotten lost once on the way despite Sara's directions.

"Hey, no promises!" Reggie laughingly replied as Sara unloaded her kit from the trunk, "Buh-bye Sara!"

"Bye Reg! Have fun!" Sara waved back, shaking her head as she watched her sister drive away, singing along to he punk music CD she'd inserted almost as soon as Sara was out of the car.

"So that was Reggie?" Greg asked from behind her, making her jump slightly in surprise, "She's hot."

"Yes, that was her. And, no, you stay away from her or you'll regret it." Sara warned, shaking a finger at him as she turned.

"Aw, Sara, don't you trust me?" Greg pouted, widening his blue eyes innocently as he took the heavy kit from her hands and led her into the building with a brotherly hand on her back.

"No," Sara returned teasingly before sighing, running her hand through her shoulder-length hair as she said softly, "Reggie's my sister."

Greg promptly dropped the kit, gaping at Sara. And then, a hurt look crossed his face as he said, "You never told me you have a sister."

"_I_ never knew I had a sister," Sara protested in her defense.

"Huh?"

"Eloquent Greg," Sara teased before sighing, "Can we wait until everyone's together so I don't have to tell the story a half dozen times?"

Greg graciously conceded, picking the bag back up as the two walked into the briefing room. Catherine, Warrick and Nick were already inside, talking amiably while they waited for everyone else, but promptly shut up when Greg told them Sara had something to say to them.

"This isn't everyone, Greg," Sara pointed out with a glare, trying to put off the whole story for just a little while.

"It's everyone that matters," Greg answered, dropping her kit on the floor beside the table and dropping himself into a chair.

Sara sighed resignedly, seating herself as she began to speak, "Wh-when I was 7, my mom stabbed my father-it's why I was put into foster care. I've always thought she did it because she didn't want to put up with his abuse anymore-but then I met my sister.

"Her name is Regina. She's seven years younger than I am. My mom was pregnant with her and when my dad found out, he was going to beat my mom until she miscarried-so she stabbed him before he could.

"Reggie's been looking for our family since she was 18. She found my mom first-who told Reggie the story and then told her she didn't want anything to do with Reggie ever again. Then she met our older brother Troy-who's a 'recovering' drug addict and who also told her he didn't want anything to do with her.

"She showed up at my place yesterday. We talked for like four hours before we just couldn't anymore. She crashed on my couch and borrowed my car to go house hunting today." Sara explained.

The room fell into silence. Sara bit nervously at her bottom lip, absentmindedly-tracing circles on the table with the fingertip of a pointer finger. Nick, Warrick, Catherine, Greg and Grissom-who'd entered after about the first sentence, but Sara hadn't even faltered since he already knew most of it- were all staring at her with various expressions on their faces. Soon after Nick had been buried in the coffin-almost 6 months ago- Ecklie had reinstated the nightshift, much to their delight.

Finally, 'though, Greg broke the silence. Grinning goofily at her, he asked, "So…can I get her number?"  
**XoXoXoXo**

"Hey, Nick, you seen my cell phone?" Sara asked tiredly, frowning around the break room with her hands on her hips.

It had been eight hours since she'd started. It had taken them about four of said hours to get all the evidence from the house where the four teenage girls had been shot. It had take them a dozen useless leads, evidence that led nowhere and they still couldn't find out who found it necessary to kill four seventeen-year-old girls.

"Nope, why?" Nick replied, looking up from the table where he was looking through evidence photos.

Sara frowned softly, "I thought I had it on me."

"Maybe you left it in your locker," Nick suggested, absently reaching for his empty coffee cup for the third time.

"Maybe," Sara agreed, plucking the cup from his hand and refilling it, "Here. Now stop looking at those photos and rest your eyes."

"Thanks," Nick grinned, taking a large gulp before standing and stretching his arms above his head.

Sara smiled back before her eyes were drawn down to the flesh revealed by his shirt being lifted as he stretched. Unconsciously, she licked her lips. Nick caught the movement and his own eyes traveled to her lips as his arms dropped to his sides.

Slowly, Sara lifted her eyes, hungrily tracing Nick's sculpted chest and broad shoulders before her eyes reached his. The desire she saw there caused her to catch her breath, the sound raising Nick's eyes to hers to see his own desire mirrored there.

The two gazed into each other's eyes, the air between them positively electric. Nick suddenly groaned, taking 3, quick, long strides to reach Sara, wrapping his arms around her and crushing her into his chest. Sara moaned, slipping her arms around Nick's neck as his lips crashed down on hers. It was a passionate kiss, filled with the longing and the suppressed feelings they'd held each other for years-Nick since the day he'd met her and Sara for…for more than a year.

Nick's tongue darted out, pleading an entrance that was quickly granted. Sara moaned deep in her throat as Nick's tongue explored her mouth, pressing herself more firmly against him as she tangled her fingers in his newly grown hair. Nick's hands traveled, going over her shoulders and below her but and back again before settling on her lower back, pushing her against him.

Finally, they had to break for air, and they leaned their foreheads together. A slight blush spread across Sara's cheeks and she shyly dropped her eyes while hey tried to regain their normal breathing.

"God, Sara," Nick whispered huskily, "No fantasy could ever match that."

Sara's eyes flew up, meeting his as she asked quietly, "Fantasy?"

"Yes. I've been imagining kissing you since pretty much the day I met you Sara." Nick confided, looking down nervously.

"Really?"

"Yea." Nick blushed, eyes still averted as he began nervously toying with the hem of the back of her shirt.

"Oh, Nicky!" Sara grinned, her tone causing Nick's eyes to lift again to hers, his own lips pulling into a grin at the warmth in her eyes.

"So, Sara," he grinned, absently tracing circles on the skin of her back underneath her T-shirt, "What do you say that once we close this case you catch a bite to eat with me?"

"We-ll" Sara dragged out, her eyes dancing with laughter, "I don't know, I think I'll have to check my schedule."

Nick growled, dropping his head to nip at her neck, trailing kisses up from the base of her neck. Sara giggled before drawing in a sudden breath and letting it out as a moan as Nick's teeth grazed the sensitive spot behind her ear.

"You ready to change your mind?" Nick breathed into her ear with a grin.

"Mmm," Sara murmured, tilting her head to give Nick better access to her neck.

"Good," Nick grinned, pulling back from her neck to drop a quick kiss on her lips.

"Hey!" Sara pouted as Nick disentangled himself from her, "Where are you going?"

"Sara, baby, as much as I would _love_ to ravish your body right now," Nick grinned, chuckling slightly at her blush, "we're in the middle of a building filled with people-and I prefer to do all my ravishing in private."

Sara giggled, an impish light dancing in her eyes as she asked, "Can you imagine their faces?"

Nick chuckled at the thought, before groaning, commanding, "Okay, get out of here-your body is _way_ too distracting!"

Sara grinned, pressing a light kiss to his cheek before bouncing from the room. Nick watched her go, laughing softly to himself as he thought-_ABOUT TIME!  
_**XoXoXoXo**

A/N HEY! Wow, you guys are the BEST! Except for one review-who I WILL get to, don't you worry- ya'll were totally positive! You're so GREAT!

Thanks to:

Helen: It is SO great to hear that you moved someone to make some type of outward emotion-'though I am sorry I made you cry! It was TOTALLY unintentional!

SidleGal

Eleanor: I think you're like a mind reader of some sort! Your idea isn't exactly spot on, but it's pretty close! Kinda creepy…lol

VeganCSI: Thanks for the offer, but I don't do betas-I don't like waiting-for any amount of time- for someone to finish editing it, so I just spell check it which usually takes care of the big things. But thank you anyway!

Sara kicks ass: Your name is SO true!

SexyirishBeep

Icklebitodd: lol, I am at your command, my lady Extravagant bow lolz, well, did I live up to your standards?

GrissomGroupie77

You guys all rock the socks right off my feet! Now, onto the "fun" part!

Kacie- first of all, BITE ME! I have eight other people telling me that they like my story, so I think I'll go with THEIR opinions! And secondly, your opinion doesn't even matter to me if you don't have the balls to sign it with your online name! OH and lastly, Can you do better? HA! Didn't think so!

Anyway, now that I've got that off my chest, REVIEW PLEASE! Oh, ya, and if anyone thinks I was being a bit of a bitch-that's nothing. And, just so ya know, I can take CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISCM with grace. FLAMERS WILL BE BITCHED OUT! DEAL WITH IT!

Anyway, I'll update again sometime next week.

Love ya

Red


	3. Chapter 3

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.

Welcome to the Family

Chapter 2

"I cannot believe you stole Sara's cell phone!" Reggie grinned, sprawled across Sara's couch with her own cell phone pressed to her ear.

"Ah, She'll live," Greg shrugged with a grin, leaning casually against the CSI building wall, Sara's phone in hand.

"Yes, but will you when she finds out you took it?" Reggie laughed.

"Ah, but that's only if she finds out!" Greg pointed out.

"And what makes you think I won't tell her?" Reggie teases, a large grin on her face.

"You wouldn't!" Greg gasped, eyes wide as he imagined all the horrors Sara could put him through.

"Hm, why shouldn't I?' Reggie returned, her eyes dancing.

"Well-because I'm too young to die?" Greg suggested.

"Nah," she refuted with a grin, "everybody dies eventually and it _would_ be a funny sight!"

"Ah! Demon-woman!" Greg cried dramatically. He paused, then asked, "Alright, then, how about I take you out tomorrow?"

Reggie grinned, "Well, I dunno…you _are _a perfect stranger after all."

"No, no, my dear, you've got it all wrong." Greg corrected with a wild grin, "I'm not a perfect stranger, _I_ am perfectly strange!"

Reggie laughed, before a sudden thought occurred to her and she asked, "Hey, Greg, how would we explain this to Sara?"

"We can make something up," Greg shrugged nonchalantly.

"Gre-g!" Reggie whined in protest, "I don't want to lie to my sister! What is she's got one of those older sibling lie-radar things? My older brother Nathan had one of those-he knew when I was lying _every time_!"

"But Reggie you can't tell her I took her phone!" Greg protested, "She'll kill me! And then you won't have a date for tomorrow!"

Reggie laughed and then got an idea, "Hey! Since I was going to drop off something to eat for Sara anyway, why don't I just 'happen' to run into you?"

"Regina Sidle, I do believe I love you," Greg said with a devilish grin.

Reggie laughed again, shaking her head as she pulled herself off the couch to pad into the kitchen, "You're such a goof, Greggy. Sara's a vegetarian, right?"

"I'm proud of my goofiness, thank you. And yes, she is." Greg answered, pausing then asking incredulously, "_Greggy_?"

"Sure, what's wrong with Greggy?" Regina grinned, using one shoulder to hold the phone while she looked through the fridge, "My God, my sister doesn't have enough food in here to feed a mouse!"

"_Everything_ is wrong with Greggy!" Greg spluttered, adding, "She doesn't _eat_ enough to feed a mouse!"

"Aw, but I think Greggy is cute!" Reggie cooed teasingly, turning her attention to the cupboards, "I'll have to teach that woman to eat better, maybe fatten her up a bit."

"Call me Greggy again and I'll…well I don't know what I'll do, but it'll be bad," Greg warned jokingly, laughing suddenly at the image of Reggie trying to force feed Sara, "I don't think Sara's going to agree to your fattening plans there, Reg."

"You don't scare me, Greggy. And that's tough-she's way too skinny." Reggie replied before asking, "Do you have any ideas at all?"

"Don't call me that, Regina Sidle," Greg scolded before adding suggestively, "Yea, I've got a lot of ideas."

"About what to make for Sara!" Reggie laughingly protested, "Get your mind out of the gutter!"

Greg laughed before suggesting, "Why don't you just stop someplace and buy her something?"

"Good idea!" she paused, shutting the cupboard doors, "But what should I get her?"

Greg laughed, "How am I supposed to know?"

"Well, you've known her for years!" Reggie pointed out, stuffing her feet into her shoes as she grabbed her purse and opened the door.

"Doesn't mean I watch what she eats!" Greg replied simply.

"What use are you then, hm?" Reggie teased, closing and re-locking the apartment door before walking down the hall.

"I'm just for decoration," Greg confided with a grin, delighting in he laugh he received from Reggie.

Reggie laughed, shaking her head at him as she ran lightly down the stairs, "You're incorrigible…Greggy."

"GAH!" Greg yelled in frustration, causing a large grin to spread across Reggie's face as she exited the building and headed towards Sara's Denali, "Regina I-don't-know-your-middle-name-but-I-_will_-find-out Sidle!"

Reggie laughed, shaking her head again with a grin, answering, "Lauren."

"Who's Lauren?" Greg asked in confusion, pulling himself up short before he could begin a rant at her.

"No," Reggie giggled, starting up the car, "That's my middle name."

"Regina Lauren Sidle," Greg tested it out thoughtfully, before grinning, "I like it!"

"Oh, good! I wouldn't have to change my name because you didn't like it," Reggie returned sarcastically, searching absently for a place to stop and get something for Sara.

"Aw, you'd do that for me?" Greg teased before his pager suddenly went off. Glancing down at it, he sighed, "Sorry, Reg, I've got to go. Duty calls."

"Okay, I'll be at the lab in like an hour."

"An hour? It only takes Sara 15 minutes!"

"Well, I'm slower than Sara-and you're procrastinating." Reggie returned, adding, "I'll ask for you when I get there, kay Greggy?"

Greg just shook his head with a grin, "Goodbye, Regina Sidle."

Reggie grinned, "Buh bye…Greggy."  
**XoXoXoXo**

Reggie yawned as she hopped out of Sara's truck. With a groan, she stretched her arms up above her head, hearing a satisfactory pop. Loosely shaking her shoulders, she turned back to the Denali, opening the back door.

From the backseat she pulled out two pizza boxes. On top of said boxes was a bag of cookies, Carefully balancing her packages, she went to shut the door, but a tanned semi-muscular arm did it for her.

Reggie turned, offering the cute blonde that accompanied said arm a grin, to which he replied, "Hello Regina Lauren Sidle."

"Oh! Greggy!" Reggie exclaimed, her eyes lighting up attractively.

"No! It's _Greg_!" he stressed, shaking a finger in her face, despite the large grin spreading across his own.

"Whatever you say…Greggy," Reggie returned, eyes dancing with mischief.

Greg childishly stuck his tongue out at her, taking the boxes out of her arms while joking, "Wow, you really weren't kidding about fattening Sara up."

"Thanks," Reggie said in reference to him taking the boxes, before slapping his arm lightly, answering, "I brought some for everyone. Figured it would be my excuse to get to meet everyone."

"Ooh, devilish mind. I like it," Greg grinned cheekily, waggling his eyebrows as he switched the boxes to one hand, placing the other hand on her back to lead her gently into the lab.

"Yea right, you'd like anything as long a s it atleast _looked _human," Reggie teased, leaning slightly into the warm hand on her back as the entered the building.

"Hey!" Greg protested, pouting cutely at her, "This is what I get for being gentlemanly and not making you carry all this stuff to the break room yourself?"

Reggie laughed, "So sorry, Greggy. I didn't really mean it." She turned her own pout on him, batting her eyelashes exaggeratedly, "Forgive me?"

Greg grinned, resisting the temptation to lean in and kiss her pouting lips, instead leaning her to the sign-in sheet, "Well, I don't know, Ms. Regina. You really hurt my feelings."

Reggie laughed, signing her name with a flourish. Leaning back up, she stood straight before going on her tiptoes and softly pressing a light kiss to Greg's cheek.

"Thanks Greggy, you're a very sweet gentleman." She said softly as she went back to standing flat footed, grinning up at his stunned face. Tilting her head slightly, she gave him a devilish grin as she added, "Lead the way Greggy."

"I don't know why it is you Sidle women are so damn difficult!" Greg complained, nevertheless replacing the hand on the small of her back as he began leading her through the hallways.

"We were just born that way, Greggy dear." Regina confided with a grin.

Greg just laughed, shaking his head at her as he began pointing out various rooms in the lab. The two fell into easy conversation, joking and laughing as the made their way to the break room.

"Looks like they're having a party," Reggie said with a curious upraised eyebrow as they came up along the room where the other nightshift members seemed to be celebrating.

"Looks like it," Greg agreed with a furrowed brow as the two stepped into the room, "Er, hey guys?"

The five turned their attention to the door and Reggie couldn't help but grin at the sight. An older gentleman was leaning against the table, his lined face filled with amusement, the strawberry-blonde at his side wiping away her laughter-induced tears. Sara was standing in the middle of the room with a grin on her face, two men-a muscular, black-haired white man and an even more muscular, brown-haired black man-had their arms wrapped around her from either side.

"Reggie?" Sara asked, confusion scrawled across her face.

"I brought you food since you didn't bring anything with you this morning, and then decided I didn't want everyone else to waste away. Reggie grinned, running her eyes over all the room's occupants as she gestured to the pizza and cookies, "Greg here offered to help as consolation for waking me up at 10:30."

"I _said_ I was sorry about that!" Greg protested, the two having had this conversation on the phone earlier.

"I know, but it's fun to get under your skin," Reggie teased, stealing eh boxes out of his hand and dancing out of reach as he swiped for her. Placing the boxes on the table, she said, "I got two large pizzas; 1 half-vegetarian, half cheese and pepperoni and 1 half extra cheese, pepperoni and bacon and half Hawaiian."

"What's in the bag?" Sara asked curiously, disentangling herself from the two men to peer curiously inside said bag.

"Cookies!" Reggie answered, her eyes dancing as she giggled.

Sara laughed, shaking her head at her little sister before saying, "Everyone, this is my sister, Regina Sidle. Reggie, this is my boss, Dr. Gilbert Grissom and my co-workers; Catherine Willows, Warrick Brown ad Nick Stokes."

"Hi!" Reggie waved before saying, "Dig in!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you Regina," Nick grinned, smiling widely at the sister of the woman he loved.

"Ick, call me Reggie," she returned shaking the proffered hand, "Only my mom still calls me Regina."

"Reggie it is then," he smiled boyishly, turning to go eat.

But Reggie pulled him back, leaning close so only he could hear her murmur, "Treat her right huh?"

Nick gaped stupidly at her but she's already turned her attention to Warrick. Sara tilted her head slightly coming to his side to ask him if he was alright.

"You didn't tell your sister about earlier, did you?" Nick asked curiously, watching the younger Sidle with interest.

"No, why?" Sara asked, giving him an odd look.

Nick frowned, turning to Sara as he answered amusedly, "She just told me to treat you right."

Sara looked shocked a moment before looking over at her sister curiously. Said woman was talking to Catherine, but, feeling Sara's gaze, Reggie turned to her sister, giving her a devilish grin and a wink. Sara laughed, shaking her head as she turned back to Nick.

But Nick shook his head, chuckling softly as he said, "It was hard enough with one Sidle, but now I've got _two_!"  
**XoXoXoXo**

A/N I know it's kind of short but I have to go get ready for work so it was either this or nothing. I'll post review-thanks next chapt. I'm too busy right now, but thanks anyway everyone!

'Luv ya

Red


	4. Chapter 4

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.

Welcome to the Family

Chapter 4

"So did you find anything promising?" Sara asked later, padding into the living room with a bucket of ice cream and two spoons, where Reggie was curled up on the couch beside the armrest.

The nightshift had been celebrating the capture of the girls' killer-a man who's lived across the street and made advances towards them and had been refused- and their chance to go home. Ecklie had put swing shift on and allowed night shift the rest of the night off because the case was "long and emotionally harrowing."

The nightshift had hung out in the break room and pigged out on the pizzas and cookies Reggie had brought. Reggie had found herself eagerly accepted into the group and she found herself liking them all immensely-Greg especially.

Now the two were back at Sara's, dressed in p.j's and just hanging out. Reggie had decided she was going to stay in Las Vegas for a week-to find a store and a house- and then return to Boston to bring back all the rest of her stuff that was in storage or her brother's basement.

"I found this nice place for the store on the Strip," Reggie replied as Sara sat beside her, accepting the proffered spoon, "But I'm not sure if I want to work on the Strip or not-it's so…"

"Dirty?" Sara suggested, grinning slightly at her sister's nod. She shrugged, "Honey, everywhere in Vegas is dirty."

Reggie laughed, "Then I guess I'll snap this one up then?"

"I think you should," Sara shrugged, "You said you liked it. And the Strip has everyone from hookers to millionaires passing along it everyday. It would be a good place for a business."

"Yeah…I'll make an offer tomorrow."

"What about a house?"

"I've got a meeting with a Real Estate agent tomorrow," Reggie answered through a mouthful of double chocolate fudge, "I just kind of drove around today and checked things out."

"Cool. Do you need the Denali again tomorrow then?" Sara asked, adding, "I'll be asleep all day so it's yours if you want it."

"And I'm sure Nick would give you a ride if you needed it," Reggie teased, her eyes dancing merrily.

"Shut up you!" Sara blushed, flinging a bit of ice cream at her sister, before replying, "Well you seemed pretty cozy with Greg for knowing him one day."

Reggie giggled, blushing slightly as she wiped off the ice cream, "He's actually taking me out tomorrow."

"_Really_?" Sara asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at her.

"Shut up you!" Reggie laughed, throwing a couch cushion at the older woman.

"Hey!" Sara protested, "You're making a mess in my living room!"

Reggie laughed, rolling her eyes at her sister and the two fell into easy conversation. Twenty minutes later, however, they were too tired to stay awake anymore.

"'Night Sar," Reggie yawned, already snuggled under her covers.

Sara laughed, shaking her head affectionately as she responded, "'Night Reggie."

"Love ya big sis," Reggie mumbled, already falling asleep/

Sara stopped in the doorway, mouth falling open as she turned back towards her sister, her eyes filling with tears. She wiped them away quickly as she heard the sound of her sister's even breathing as she slept.

Quietly, she whispered, "I love you too, little sister."  
**XoXoXoXo**

The next day, while Reggie went house hunting with her RE agent, Sara slept. Until someone knocked on her door.

Sara moaned unhappily, rolling herself out of bed. Yawning, she brushed the hair out of her face, padding barefoot to the door dressed in red-plaid p.j pants and a white spaghetti strap.

"Whatyawant?" she demanded, swinging the door open without even checking the peephole only to be faced with a grinning Nick Stokes.

"You," Nick answered promptly, his grin widening at her rumpled appearance.

"Nick! What are you doing here?" Sara asked with a blush, trying to surreptitiously tidy her hair.

"Don't," Nick protested, grabbing hold of her wrists, the action bringing them closer together, "You look cute."

"You're just saying that," Sara teased, half-serious.

"Nah. You look gorgeous no matter what, babe," Nick assured her with a boyish grin.

Sara smiled softly at him, "I'd kiss you for that comment but I've got morning breath."

"It's the afternoon," Nick pointed out, before promptly pulling her closer to meet his lips with hers.

Sara moaned, arching her body into his. Nick answered with his own moan, letting go of her wrists to wrap his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him. Sara's arms went around Nick's waist, her hands creeping up the back of his shirt while her nails scraped lightly against his back.

Nick moaned again, pulling his head back to breathlessly inform her, "We're standing in the middle of your apartment hallway."

Then come inside," Sara murmured huskily, "Then you can ravish me in private."  
**XoXoXoXo**

Reggie stepped out of the Denali, staring wide-eyed at the house before her. Unused to the Vegas heat, she was again dressed in shorts and a tank top, this time jean cut-offs and a blood red spaghetti strap. Her hair was pulled up off her sweaty neck and face in a messy bun.

Her meeting with the Real Estate agent had been for 12, so she was up by 9. After getting dressed, she'd left a note for Sara and headed out. After a quick stop at a Tim Horten's, she'd then gone on to the owners of the store she wanted. They'd accepted her offer on the spot.

"It's gorgeous!" Reggie breathed, staring adoringly at the house.

It was a one-story bungalow house with a basement. It was white with a blue trim and blue cement porch with a matching awning and the old-style curvy black railings. There was a small garden already growing in front of the porch. A two-car garage was attached.

"Do you want to see the inside?" the realtor, Bonnie Rogers asked with a laughing grin.

"Oh yes!" Reggie exclaimed impatiently, dashing up the stairs and waiting impatiently for the other woman to unlock the door before dashing inside.

The front door opened into a hallway that led into four separate rooms. Immediately to the right was a medium-sized kitchen done in an attractive dark wood. The room directly across from the kitchen was slightly bigger. The two walls that were kitty-corner across from the doorway contained large windows. The other two rooms further down the hall were bedrooms, both with large closets and arched windows.

The basement had been split into three different rooms. One was a small bedroom with a small closet and a ground floor window. Another was a room double the length of a normal one with a large closet and built-in bathroom. The third was the connecting room that had been used as a rec room in the past. Also in the basement was a small cold storage.

The small hallway from the kitchen that led past the bedrooms ended in patio doors. There was a large, gorgeous patio deck connected to the house with a blue canopy that stretched across it. The backyard was a gorgeous green, with two large trees providing shade.

"Oh! It's beautiful!" Reggie breathed.

"I know it's bigger than you asked for-"

"I want it!" Reggie cut her off, "I _love_ this place!"

The realtor grinned in delight, "Great! You'll just have to sign the papers, pay for it and viola! it's yours!"

"Score!" Reggie yelled in excitement as she hopped back into Sara's truck.

"I'll meet you back at the agency!" Bonnie waved as she got into her own, cream-coloured Miata and speeding off.

Reggie started the car, buckled her seatbelt and then couldn't contain herself anymore, "Yes! Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Oh yeah! Who's your mama?" she yelled in delight, dancing around in her seat.

Then, with a large grin still plastered on her face, she pulled out of the driveway.

She was buying a house!  
**XoXoXoXo**

Sara really had to pee. _Really_!

Carefully, she disentangled herself from Nick's slumbering arms, rolling quietly out of bed. Absently, she picked up Nick's shirt, pulling it over her head as she padded out into the hallway in her bare feet. A satisfied grin spread across her face as her nose was filled with the smell of Nick's subtle, spicy aftershave.

Coming out of the bathroom a few minutes later, she headed back towards the bedroom with thoughts of curling up with Nick. However, the ringing of her home phone had her changing her direction to the living room, pulling a disgruntled face.

"What?" she asked, dropping onto the couch with the receiver pressed to her ear.

"Er-hello Sara." Greg said tentatively, unsure how to face her anger when he wasn't even sure what he'd done-'though he didn't know how to face her anger when he _did_ know what he'd done!

"Hi Greg. Can I help you with something?" Sara asked, trying to keep herself polite instead of telling him to piss off like she really wanted to.

"Er-is Reggie there?"

"No. She's out looking for a place." Sara said shortly, her gaze travelling down to the hall where she could hear Nick moving about.

"Oh." He paused, hearing some background noise and asking suggestively, "Am I interrupting something Sara?"

"Greg, I'm going to kill you. Slowly." Sara answered, going to hang up the phone, but Greg, sensing her intentions, yelled for her stop. "What Greg?" she snapped, "I've got better things to do."

"Sorry, sex fiend." He teased, the smile in his voice.

"Bye Greg."

"No, wait!" he yelled hastily, "I'm sorry. I wanted to ask you for a favour."

"Make it quick Sanders."

"Can you make sure Reggie's dressed appropriately for a carnival but not tell her that's where I'm taking her?" he asked all in one breath.

"Carnival, Greg?" Sara asked skeptically.

"Do you think she'll like it?" Greg asked anxiously, his uncertainty endearing even to Sara.

Sara laughed, shaking her head slightly as she answered, "Yea, Greg. Reg is just the kind of girl who's love a carnival for a first date."

"Thanks, Sar," he grinned, before pausing, becoming suddenly serious as he asked, "Hey Sar? Is it cool, me dating your sister?"

"Reggie's a big girl, Greg. And you make her happy," Sara said, pausing and then adding threateningly, "But if you hurt my baby sister, Sanders, you won't live to regret-and I'll hide you body."

"Yes ma'am" he answered obediently, before saucily adding, "I'll let you get back to your Texas cowboy now, sex kitten."

"Greg!" Sara half-laughed, half-yelled in protest, but Greg had already hung up the phone.

Sara shook her head, replacing the phone on the receiver as she stood up from the couch. Padding down the hallway, she frowned, hearing Nick's voice from the bedroom.

"Nicky?" she called curiously, "Who're you talking to?"

There was no answer, just the continued sounds of Nick's muffled voice. Sara picked up the pace, her brow furrowing in concern at the lack of answer. Opening the door, she frowned softly at the sight that greeted her.

Nick was flailing in the bed, the sheets tangling around his naked form. His eyes were tightly clenched shut, but tears were beginning to seep out from underneath the lids. He was still asleep.

"Nick. Nicky, wake up!" Sara called, stepping further into the room.

"No, no, please, let me out! I don't wanna die, please!" Nick begged under his breath, not hearing Sara's calling.

"Oh," Sara whispered, tears filling her eyes as she realized that Nick was reliving the time he'd spent buried alive. Moving swiftly, she grabbed onto Nick's muscular shoulder, shaking firmly as she begged, "Wake up, Nicky, please! Wake up, Nick, it's just a dream!"

Nick's eyes snapped open and he shot up. His breathing was heavy and his wide eyes darted anxiously about the room before settling on Sara. Immediately, she opened her arms to him and he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into his lap.

"It's alright, Nick, it was only a dream," Sara murmured softly, stroking his hair lightly as he buried his head into her shoulder, "It's over now, baby, it's over."

Nick's arms wrapped around her waist, crushing his face against her neck as sobs wracked his body. One of Sara's arms wrapped around his shoulder, the other stroking his hair as she murmured nonsensically into his ear.

Finally, his breathing slowed, the tears stopping. Nick pulled away, his face red as he wiped the tears from his eyes. Embarrassed, he turned his face away from Sara, unable to pull away any further since Sara's weight in his lap prevented it.

"Hey now," Sara protested softly, one hand cupping the side of his face, "Don't turn away from me."

Nick's eyes were downcast and he didn't answer. Sara sighed, her hand running from the side of Nick's face to his chin, lifting his head slightly. When Nick's eyes reluctantly met hers. Sara pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

"It's okay to have nightmares, Nicky, and it's okay to cry," Sara murmured softly.

Nick nodded softly, lifting a hand to brush her tangled hair behind her ear. "Thank you Sara."

Sara smiled softly, "Anytime. You want to talk about it?"

Nick sighed, lifting Sara gently from his lap, causing her to think for a second that maybe she'd gone too far. However, Nick just lay back down, pulling her with him so she was pressed to his side.

Sara sighed, laying her head down on his bare chest as she stretched the full length of the bed, entangling her slightly pale legs with his darkly tanned ones. Nick wrapped one arm around her shoulders, absently running his fingers through her hair while he rested his head on hers, his other arm resting across her abdomen with his hand on Sara's bare hip where the shirt had ridden up.

"I-I was in the c-coffin," he began hesitantly, "Th-The ants w-were all over m-me. Th-The coffin was cr-cracking a-and then the walls c-caved in." he took a deep. Steadying breath and Sara took the hand from her hip to entwine it with her own, "A-And then I w-was back in my a-apartment, w-with N-Nigel Crane g-gun in my f-face. B-but this time th-they di-didn't get to me I-in t-time."

"Oh Nicky," Sara murmured softly, leaning up on one elbow and extracting the hand from his to gently stroke his face, "I didn't know that you still had nightmares or that they were so bad."

Nick sighed, closing his eyes to better enjoy the feeling of her light touch on his face, "No one knows. And I don't have them all the time, only three or four times a week."

"Only?"

"It's better than the 3 or 4 times a day that I used to have," Nick returned grimly.

"Oh, Nicky," she sighed again, before softly suggesting, "Maybe you should see a therapist, Nick."

"No," Nick refused, frowning slightly as he opened his eyes, "I don't need a shrink."

Sara sighed, sitting up in a cross-legged position beside Nick's hip and picking his hand back up, "Nicky, maybe you should. Sometimes talking can make you feel better about it."

"Sara-"

"It doesn't mean you're crazy, Nick," Sara said softly, tracing circles on his palm with the nail of her index finger, "It just means that you're not perfect-that you need help, just like everyone else does after they go through something like that."

Nick's face remained uncertain, and, softly, Sara whispered, "Please, Nicky, you need help. If you don't sleep, something could happen one day-you could fall asleep at the wheel or your reactions could be slower near a perp. You don't have to go to a therapist, Nicky, but, please, talk to someone? Please?"

Nick sighed, running his free hand wearily over his face. Sara clutched Nick's hand with both of hers, her honey-brown eyes pleading with his baby blues. Nick sighed again, pulling on her hand to sprawl her across his chest.

"I'll do it. For you." Nick murmured, kissing her softly.

Sara smiled, whispering, "Thank you Nick."

"I'll do anything for you Sara," Nick said softly, nervously confiding, "I love you Sara Sidle."

Sara's eyes brimmed with tears and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself more fully against him as she hoarsely whispered in his ear, "I love you too, Nicholas Stokes, I love you too."  
**XoXoXoXo**

A/N You better love me-I'm doing this even tho I'm sick so you must! Lolz anyway, g2g thanks everyone for the reviews and plz keep them coming! I'm going to post this and then go and sleep on my couch!

My love

Red


	5. Chapter 5

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.

Welcome to the Family

Chapter 5

Reggie danced happily down the apartment hallway to an imaginary tune. Under her breath she sang random lines from various songs of various genres. Reaching the door, she inserted Sara's key, flinging open the door with a flourish.

"Sara!" she yelled excitedly, kicking off her shoes as she entered, "Guess what? I got-"

She stopped abruptly, staring at Nick who was sitting on the couch in his boxers and T-shirt. He blushed when she stopped talking, giving her a sheepish grin.

"Er-hello Nick," Reggie giggled, "Where's Sara?"

"I'm right here," Sara laughed, stepping out of the kitchen.

"Hey Sara. Have fun without me?" Reggie asked with a waggle of her eyebrows and a wicked grin.

"Lots," Nick answered with a boyish grin, causing both Sidle women to burst into laughter.

"Anyway, guess what guys?" Reggie demanded excitedly, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

"My sister, the bounce machine," Sara teased, laughing gaily at her sister's impatient expression.

"Sa-ra!" Reggie whined in protest.

"Nick chuckled, "Sara, you're so mean!"

"But you love me anyways!" Sara returned in a teasing singsong, her eyes dancing.

"Sure do." Nick returned with a gentle, loving smile, causing Sara to blush.

"Ok, as _totally_ nauseatingly sweet as this is: GUESS WHAT?" Reggie interrupted impatiently.

The two laughed and Sara teasingly asked, "I'm sorry, were you saying something Reggie?"

"Sara!" Reggie whined again, dancing impatiently on the spot.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Sara giggled, "I'm just making up for lost time. Now, what is it that's got your panties in a bunch, little sister?"

Reggie childishly blew a raspberry at her sister and her boyfriend, but then a broad grin spread across her face as she yelled, "I BOUGHT A HOUSE!"

"Really? That's great!" Sara yelled excitedly, wrapping her arms around her younger sister, the two women jumping up and down and laughing excitedly.

When they'd finally settled down, Nick teased, " I never took you for a jumping a squealing kind of gal Sara."

"Shut up Nick," She grinned, disentangling herself from her sister's arms to plop herself into his lap.

"Ooh! Nick and Sara, sitting' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Reggie teased, receiving a couch cushion in the face in answer, "Ow! Sara! You're not supposed to beat up your little sister!"

"My older siblings used to beat me up." Nick pointed out with a grin.

"SH!" Reggie yelled in protest, giving Nick a betrayed look, "She's going to keep beating me up now!"

"Hey! If I recall correctly-and I do- you started it yesterday when you threw that exact same cushion at me!" Sara said indignantly.

Reggie opened her mouth to retort but couldn't seem to come up with anything. Instead, she stuck her tongue out at the pair.

"You're so mature Reggie," Sara said blandly, though her eyes danced with amusement.

Nick grinned teasingly, "Must have been why you got along with Greg so well yesterday."

"Oh! That reminds me!" Sara exclaimed, sitting up suddenly form her relaxed position against Nick's chest, "Greg called earlier for you. He told me what he was doing for your date tonight!"

"Ooh! What is he doing?" Reggie asked excitedly, leaning against the couch.

"Ah, see, now _that_ I can't tell you." Sara grinned.

"Sa-ra!" Reggie pouted, batting her eyelashes sweetly at the older woman.

Sara laughed, shaking her head, "Honey, those eyes won't work on me."

Reggie sighed in defeat, "You're no fun Sara-Bara."

"Sara-Bara?" Nick snorted.

"Shut up Icky-Nicky," Sara teased laughingly.

Nick pouted, putting a fake look of hurt on his face as he said, "Meanie!"

Sara giggled, patting his head like a child before turning back to her sister, "He only told me so I'd make sure you dressed right."

"Oh." Reggie paused, "So…what should I wear?"

Sara laughed, shaking her head in amusement, "I don't know, what do you have?"

Reggie gave a melodramatic sigh, walking over to the doorway where her duffel bag still sat. Picking it up, she dragged it back into the living room, where she emptied it out onto the floor. Sara's eyes lit up and she slid onto the floor beside the pile, Reggie across from her.

"Maybe I should go," Nick suggested, warily eyeing the pair of women as they dug eagerly through the pile eagerly.

"Don't be stupid," Reggie refuted promptly, "Greg's going to be here in an hour and a half. Then you'll have my sister all to yourself."

Nick shook his head with a grin, asking, "Hey, Sar, you hungry?"

"Kinda," Sara answered, scrutinizing a pair of jeans, "Why?"

"I think I'll go pick up some Chinese," Nick answered, heading into the bedroom in search of his pants.

"Mmk," Sara replied absently, the two women continuing to go through the large pile.

"Bye Nick!" Reggie called with a laugh as Nick left the apartment.

Twenty minutes later, they'd finally picked out a suitable outfit that they both agreed upon. Reggie hopped into the shower for an extra-long 45-minute shower. She emerged 20 minutes after that.

"Spin!" Sara demanded from her newly restored spot on the couch beside Nick.

Reggie laughed and spun slightly for the pair. She wore a pair of tight blue hip-huggers and her blue running shoes. She also wore a middriff-ed black halter-top underneath an open blue jean jacket. Her hair was half pulled back with a few loose stands framing her face. Her eyelids had been dusted with light blue eye shadow with black eyeliner and mascara and clear lip-gloss.

"Da-_amn_!" Sara called with a grin, eyes dancing.

Reggie giggled, sticking her hands in the pockets of her jacket, asking shyly, "You really think I look good?"

"Honey, I have half a mind to make you stay here so I can have both Sidle women to myself," Nick teased gently.

"Sorry Nick, but I don't think Sara shares," Reggie laughed.

"Damn straight I don't," Reggie growled possessively, snuggling deeper into Nick's arms.

There was suddenly a knock on the door and Reggie bounced eagerly forward. Flinging the door open, she beamed brightly up at Greg.

"Hey Greggy!" she smiled, lightly kissing his cheek.

"Hey Reg," he greeted with a slight roll of his eyes for the nickname before running said eyes over her form and whistling, "Damn, Regina Sidle, you sure do know how to look good!"

"You don't clean up so bad yourself Greg Sanders," Reggie replied as her eyes returned the appraisal appreciatively.

Greg was dressed in tan khaki pants and black running shoes with duct tape over the top. He wore a yellow shirt with a bright green collar and matching hem. In the same green as that of the collar were the words, "One by One the Garden Gnomes are Stealing My Sanity" as well as a picture of a garden gnome smiling evilly. Overtop, he wore a black sports jacket and his hair was back to the crazy-out-of-this-world style that he used to wear in the lab.

"Hey field mouse!" Sara greeted with a grin from under Nick's arm.

"Sup G?" Nick laughed, waving his unoccupied hand at the ex-tech.

"It's about time you two got together!" Greg yelled with a grin, adding, "Don't call me field mouse!"

"Field mouse, huh?" Reggie commented with a devilish grin.

"No. You can't call me field mouse _and_ Greggy! You're only allowed one annoying nickname, woman," Greg said, shaking a finger in Reggie's laughing face.

Reggie giggled, pushing his finger from her face to entwine his hand with hers as she answered with "big" eyes, "But I'm cute enough to have 2, Greggy."

"N-" Greg started, only to be interrupted by the ringing of Reggie's cell phone.

Reggie pulled the small phone from the breast pocket of her jacket, checking the ID before flipping it open quickly, excitedly saying, "Hey!"

"Oh," Nick teased, "It looks like you've got some competition there Greggo!"

"Reggie reached over and smacked the back of Nick's head as she said into the phone, "No _Mom_, that was just a friend…" she frowned, "No Mom, if that had been Sara I would have said 'my sister'…Because she is!…Maybe you should just accept it! She's my family too!" Reggie's face filled with anger and she stepped slightly away from the three CSI's, "Damnit, Mom, I don't care! _You_ started all this!…I'm moving to Vegas Mom, I've already got a place…Damnit Mom, you did this same thing to Nate too when he finally told you!…Of _course _ I knew before you did, _everyone_ knew before you and Dad did because everyone knew how you'd react!…Whatever, Mom, I've got to go!"

Reggie flipped the phone shut angrily, staring blankly at it as it began to ring again, the 3 CSIs remaining silent. Fighting back the tears from her eyes, Reggie turned the phone off.

Turning to Greg, she asked softly, "Can we go now, Greg? Please?"

"Sure Reg," Greg said as he slipped an arm around her waist and led her towards the door.

"Reggie, wait!" Sara called out, rushing forward to hug her sister, "Have fun Reg. I love you."

"Have fun Reggie," Nick echoed softly, pressing her shoulder lightly as he smiled gently at her.

"Thanks, Nick. I'll see you kids later." Reggie returned, grinning at the two as she and Greg left, Greg's arm slipping back around her waist.

"You all right babe?" he asked he gently as they stepped into the elevator, eyes filled with concern.

"Yea," Reggie sighed, resting her head against Greg's shoulder wearily, "My Mom hasn't ever supported my looking for my biological family and it pisses her off that I'm not only getting to know Sara but moving to Vegas to be near her."

"It's alright hunny," Greg murmured softly, giving her a one-armed hug as the doors of the elevator opened, suggesting, "Maybe we should just go grab a cup of coffee instead of doing my original idea tonight."

"No!" Reggie protested, "You put a lot of effort into this-reeling my sister in to help pick out my outfit but keep the plan to herself- no! Let's go! I need something to get my mind of my mom and your plan has just the right amount of intrigue."

"Okay, okay!" Greg laughed, stopping at her side of the car and pulling a black scarf from his jacket pocket, "But you've got to be blindfolded."

Reggie laughed, turning obediently for him to blindfold her. He did so gently, being sure to make it tight enough so she couldn't see but not tight enough to hurt her.

Gently, he helped her up into his black Tahoe, laughingly securing her seatbelt to the accompaniment of her joking comments about how it was all just a part of his plan to get into her pants. Shaking his head ruefully at the enigma of a woman that he was falling for, Greg shut the car door- being sure not to hurt her in the process- before going around to the other side of the door and hopping in.

The 15-minute car ride was filled. There was never any silences but a lot of laughing and joking. Finally, Greg pulled up to his destination.

"We're he-re!" Greg sing-songed as he opened his door.

"Ooh, can I take this off now?" Reggie asked excitedly, hands already reaching for the blindfold.

"No! Not yet. You have to wait until you get out so you can have the full affect." Greg answered, chuckling at her frustrated sigh and impatient wiggling, "Hold on a sec and I'll be over there in a minute to help you out."

Greg quickly rounded the car, helping her out of it. Turning her to face the large carnival, Greg pulled the scarf away with a flourish.

"Oh!" Reggie exclaimed with delight, staring wide-eyed at the rides, games and food. Grabbing hold of his hand, she pulled gently, exclaiming childishly, "Come on, Greggy, let's go!"

Greg laughed, allowing himself to be pulled along. The pair went on any and every ride before collapsing in the grass two hours later.

"My God, Greg, I don't think I've ever had so much fun! Especially on a date!" Reggie laughed, resting her head on his chest as they gazed up at the stars.

"So does that mean I score a second date?" Greg laughed, tucking one arm under his head while the other slipped around her waist.

Reggie giggled, "Yea, Greg, you score a second date."

"Good." Greg grinned rakishly at her, "Because if you'd have said no I would have just kidnapped you and taken you anyway."

Reggie giggled again, snuggling deeper into his side as she said, "You're funny Greg, you make me laugh."

"I like your laugh," Greg smiled, gently kissing the top of her head, "It makes me feel good."

Reggie smiled delightedly into his chest, hugging his waist with one arm. Smiling impishly, she rolled on top of him so she had one hand on either side of Greg's head, her hair falling in a curtain to cover their faces.

Greg grinned up at her, one arm snaking around her waist while the other rested on the nape of her neck. Reggie willingly succumbed to the gentle pressure, lowering her lips to his.

The kiss was gentle at first, just tasting each other, before Greg's tongue slipped out and between hers. Reggie moaned into the kiss, both tongues dancing erratically as their passion mounted. Greg suddenly flipped them over, cradling Reggie's head so it didn't hit the ground, so that he was on top of her, holding his weight off of her with hi elbows on wither side of her body.

Pulling back from the kiss, he smiled gently at her, asking, "How about I go and win you a teddy, pretty lady?"

Reggie sighed resignedly at the end of the kiss before grinning devilishly up at him, asking, "Can it be a big one?"

"If it comes from me, it'll always be big," Greg teased with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Reggie laughed, lightly punching his chest. Greg grinned, rolling off her and pulling himself up. Reaching down, he pulled her up too, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and bringing her closer to him.

Half an hour later, the pair were back in Greg's Tahoe, Reggie's new teddy bear buckled into the back seat. He was a large, soft, light brown bear holding a red heart that read, "I wuv you beary much!" in white. Reggie named him Fred.

"I still can't believe you named him Fred," Greg teased gently with a gentle shake of his head.

"You don't like the name Fred?" Reggie asked with a cute mock-pout.

Greg laughed, shaking his head again as he said, "It's such a weird name!"

"And _Regina_ is normal?" Reggie snorted, "Me and Fred are going to be weird together. Right, Fred?"

"You're talking to a teddy," Greg stated, shaking his head as he pulled into the parking lot of Sara's apartment building, "I'm dating a mad woman."

"Now that's not nice!" Reggie pouted, as they parked, "Fred doesn't appreciate being called 'a teddy'

Greg shook his head with a laugh as he opened his door. Reggie watched with a grin as he rounded the front of the car, still laughing, his face relaxed as he opened the door.

Reggie smiled, sliding willingly from the seat and into his arms. Greg grinned back, pressing a soft kiss to her lips as his arms settled comfortably around her waist. Turning slightly, he opened the back door and extracted Fred, placing him in Reggie's arms but not letting her leave the circle of his arms.

They traveled in comfortable silence up to Sara's apartment, yawning sleepily. Finally, they were outside of Sara's door and Reggie turned to Greg.

"Thanks for Fred," she grinned as he placed a hand on either of her hips.

"'Welcome," he muttered absently as he dipped his head to capture her lips with his in a searing kiss.

Several minutes-and several kisses- later, Greg pulled reluctantly away. Dropping a soft kiss on her forehead, he said softly, "Good night, Regina Lauren Sidle."

"Goodnight, Gregory Loaf Sanders," she returned with a gentle teasing note in her voice.

Greg smiled, kissing her softly again before waiting to make sure she got safely into the apartment. As the door was closing, he turned away with a soft smile, humming happily under his breath as he walked away.

Reggie grinned to herself, walking quietly through the dark apartment. Kicking off her shoes, she placed her jacket and Fred on the couch before padding down to the bedroom. Peeking inside, she smiled gently at the picture her sister and her boyfriend presented.

Quietly, she walked away, heading into the bathroom to get ready for breath. Ten minutes later, clad in her boxer-pajamas, Reggie settled onto the couch, snuggling under the blanket with Fred tucked under her arm.

With a gentle smile, she whispered into the silence, "'Night Fred."  
**XoXoXoXo**

Hey guys, sorry about the delay! But it's not my fault, I was sick all week and then, once I was better, I spent the next week just trying to make up the classes! But we now know why I'm sick- I'm allergic to SUGAR, GELATIN, wheat, beef, soy and the list goes on my friends! Anyway, I've got to go so I'll catch ya later!

'My Luv,

Red


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.**

**Welcome to the Family**

**Chapter 6**

The next couple of days passed swiftly. Nick and Sara settled comfortably into their relationship, going out for a bite to eat after shift before going back to Sara's with the occasional night out. Greg and Reggie fell into the routine of crazy dates-switching ideas every time. So far, they'd gone roller blading (Greg had never done it), skydiving, bungee jumping and the circus.

But, it was finally time for Reggie to return to Boston and get all of her stuff. She had some furniture in storage as well as a bunch of boxes and bags of things she'd left in her brother Nathan's house.

It had taken a lot of arguments, but Reggie has finally agreed to let Greg come with her. Sara had wanted to, but decided against it after the phone call the three had overheard. Greg, however, had been undeterred.

Greg had taken a week off of work and Nick and Sara were dropping he and Sara off at the airport after that day's shift. Reggie's brother Nathan was going to pick them up at the airport in Boston and they were going to stay there for two days while they packed up a rented U-Haul and then were going to drive back. Neither was sure how long the drive would take and were going to use any extra time to set up Reggie's house and store.

"Are you guys sure you're up to driving us?" Reggie asked for the millionth time as Nick, Sara and Greg came out of the CSI building, all looking extremely weary.

Before shift, Greg and Reggie had loaded their duffel bags full of clothes in Sara's Denali. Reggie had given them all a ride into work and pulled into the CSI building after shift-armed with cups of coffee.

"Yes, Reggie, we are, so stop asking that: Sara replied, gratefully accepting the cup of coffee.

"Sorry," Reggie said sheepishly as she kissed Greg hello.

"Hey babe," he smiled, passing Nick his cup and returning the kiss before opening the backseat door for her.

"Thank you," Reggie smiled as she climbed into the car, "Although, you know, it would be better appreciated if you didn't do it just so you could look at my ass."

"But it's such a nice ass," Greg grinned as he climbed in beside her.

Reggie rolled her eyes as she buckled her seatbelt, a grin on her lips nevertheless. Greg grinned too, buckling his own seatbelt before leaning over to whisper in her ear, "I caught that Ms. Sidle. Just remember-you have to fly with me!"

Reggie laughed and the rest of the ride passed in amiable conversation between the four of them. Finally, they pulled up in front of the airport and Nick and Greg unloaded the three duffel bags (Reggie had mercilessly teased Greg about bringing to bags as opposed to her one, but he 'wanted to be prepared for anything!").

"Well, we'll see you in a week!" Sara said cheerily.

"Yea," Reggie smiled, her eyes suddenly filling with tears, "I'm going to miss you!"

"I'm going to miss you too!" Sara wailed her own eyes filling with tears as the sisters threw their arms around eachother.

"We're being ridiculous," Reggie sniffled, wiping at her eyes as they pulled away.

"Completely." Sara agreed, wiping at her face and spreading her tear streaks.

"I'll be back in a week," Reggie said, trying to calm herself as much as Sara.

"Yea, and then you'll be in Vegas for good." Sara said, in the same way that Reggie had.

The two men shared an amused look out of their other halves' sight before Greg said softly, "Reggie, baby, we have to go or else we'll miss the plane."

"And we have to leave before I get a ticket for parking in a no-parking zone," Nick added, dropping a supportive hand lightly on the small of Sara's back.

"Kay," Reggie sniffled, hugging Sara again tightly, "Bye Sara, I love you."

"Bye Reggie, I love you too." Sara returned, hugging the younger woman just as fiercely.

"Bye, Nick. Don't let Sara have too much fun without me, huh?" Reggie teased gently, hugging the Texan lightly.

"I'll try but I can't make any promises," Nick joked, hugging Reggie back and pressing a light kiss to the crown of the head of the young woman whom he'd come to love as a little sister in the last few days.

"Take care of her, hm?" Sara murmured gently as she hugged Greg goodbye.

"'Course I will," Greg smiled, before stage-whispering, "Have fun with the apartment all to yourselves again, sex-fiend."

Sara laughed, punching him in the chest as she warned, "Watch yourself field mouse."

"Greg grinned in return before leaning forward to plant a sloppy kiss on Sara's cheek, joking, "You know you love me Sar!"

"Hey, watch it! That's _my_ woman!" Nick joked, earning himself an elbow in the ribs.

"I am _no one's_ 'woman', thank you very much, Nicholas Stokes." Sara said in mock-affront, glaring at her boyfriend.

"Sorry," Nick said unapologetically before holding his hand out to Greg, saying, "Have fun, G."

"I will," Greg assured him, before taking the outstretched hand and pulling the slightly older man into a hug.

"Bye guys," Reggie sniffled, Greg slipping a comfortable arm around her waist as Sara and Nick got back into the car.

"Bye!" Sara called, hanging out the window to wave goodbye at the pair.

"C'mon baby. You stand there all day and we'll miss the plane," Greg murmured gently quietly as he gently jostled her hip.

Reggie sighed before bending down and lifting her bag up to her shoulder. She turned to head inside and then caught sight of Greg.

He had a duffel bag on wither shoulder and was wobbling from side to side as he tried to keep his balance.

All she could do was grin.  
**XoXoXoXo**

Greg slept most of the flight, exhausted after his shift. Reggie, however, was too wired to even think about it. When they were getting ready to land, Reggie was bouncing about in her seat, Greg watching her in amusement.

"Just because you bounce like that isn't going to make the plane land faster,' he teased/

"Bite me." She answered, not missing a beat in her bouncing as she excitedly watched the ground coming closer.

Greg grinned rakishly at this "command", bending forward to nip lightly at the back of her exposed neck. Reggie shrieked in surprise and protest, stopping her bouncing to whip her head around and glare at him.

"Greg-" she began with narrowed eyes, only to be cut off as Greg leaned forward to grab her lips in a kiss.

Reggie smiled into the kiss, returning the kiss just as fiercely as Greg. Greg's hand slid up to the nape of her neck, cradling her head as her hands came up to twist in his shirt front.

They pulled apart a few moments later, and Greg, his eyes glittering impishly, murmured, "We're here."

Reggie's eyes widened as the words sunk in and her head whipped around to stare out the window as they were taxiing. Her face lit up brightly and she turned excitedly back to Greg.

"We're here!" she echoed brightly, nervous fear and excitement warring for domination in her eyes.

Greg laughed and helped her up as the announcement came over the loud speaker. They went through the procedures quickly, claiming their bags and then stepping out of the terminal.

"Oh my Lord! Can it be? Is it really her?" called a loud, laughing voice as the pair stepped outside.

"Nate!" Reggie yelled excitedly, dropping her duffel bag on Greg's foot as she spun and jumped into the man's arms.

He was 6" plus with broad shoulders and a muscular build. His ebony black hair was slightly long and fell partially into mint green eyes. He wore a pair of baggy, dark blue jeans and a white T-shirt underneath a formfitting black leather jacket.

"Hey little Reggie!" the man-Nate- grinned, lifting Reggie off of the ground in a bear hug.

Reggie laughed as he placed her back on the ground before reaching up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek as she smiled, "You haven't changed at all Nate- you were wearing that outfit last week."

Nate laughed, crushing her back into his side with one arm before catching sight of Greg, "Ooh, Reggie, is this your new man, or is he fair game?"

Greg blanched, causing Reggie to giggle as she ducked under Nate's arm to stand beside Greg who'd dropped his bag beside hers, saying, "Nah, Nate honey, Greggy here ain't fair game-he's all mine."

"Excuse me?" Greg spluttered, "Since when?"

"Since the minute you first saw me, honey-love," Reggie returned with a grin and a saucy wink, "Nate, this is my Greg Sanders. Greggy, this is my older brother Nathan Peters."

"Nice to meet you, stud." Nate grinned, shaking his head firmly.

"Er-same." Greg said uncertainly.

Reggie snorted in laughter, patting his arm lightly as she assured him, "Don't worry Greggy, Nate and me have a deal to never try and steal each other's man."

"And I thought my family was weird!" Greg muttered under his breath, causing brother and sister to burst into laughter.

Nate, still chuckling, bent and hoisted a duffel on either shoulder and picked the last one up in his right hand. Both Nate and Reggie offered to take one, but Nate refused.

"Show off." Reggie teased as he led the way to his silver truck, which he'd parked in a no-parking zone and beside which now stood a very disgruntled looking female security guard.

Nate heaved the 3 bags into the truck bed before turning his attention to the guard. Instantly, his face was transformed as he pretended to be extremely upset, saying, "I'm so sorry, officer, it's just, my baby sister and her husband flew in today because my mother…sh-she isn't well, and I was running late and I know I shouldn't have, but I haven't been able to fully pay attention s-since my mother got sick and-"

"Oh, sweetheart, it's alright." The woman said sympathetically, laying a gentle hand on Nate's upper arm, who had registered a dejected look on his face, "You three just get on out of here and see your mom before it's too late."

"Thank you Miss." Reggie said, hoping the woman would think her face was screwed up that way to prevent tears and not laughter.

The woman smiled softly, patting Reggie's arm gently before turning away. Nate went quickly around the truck front, hopping quickly into the cab as Greg opened the door for Reggie and she did the same, scooting into the middle seat as Greg hopped in beside her.

The trio remained in silence until they were safely out of the airport parking lot before bursting into laughter. Nate had tears rolling down his face and had to pull over to prevent an accident while Reggie leaned against Greg, who leaned against the window for support, both clutching their stomachs.

"Oh, God!" Nate laughed, wiping the tears off of his face a few moments later, "Poor woman was clueless."

"Yea," Greg said appreciatively, eyes glazed as he laughingly remembered the incident, his arm settling comfortably around Reggie's shoulders.

Reggie and Nate laughed at Greg's expression as Nate pulled back onto the road. The hour and a half-long drive was filled with laughter and easy banter, Greg and Nate bonding over a mutual love for music.

"Dude! Good Charlotte is _way_ better!" Greg argued as Nate pulled onto his street.

"_Simple Plan_ is the best!" Reggie cut in, adding happily, "Look, we're here!"

Nate was the proud owner of a light green two-story townhouse with a hunter green trim. The top floor held 3 bedrooms, the Master and two guest, and a bathroom, while the main floor had a living room and kitchen-dinging room. The basement was unfurnished and filled with various odds and ends as well as boxes upon boxes of Reggie's things.

"Sweet," Reggie remarked as the trio stepped inside.

"Thanks," Nate grinned, "Reg helped me decorate- if I'd been left to my own devices, it wouldn't look even half as good."

"Well, I couldn't let you suffer after all the times you took the rap for me." Reggie brushed off with a rakish grin of remembrance.

"Reggie here was a hellfire child," Nate confided to Greg with a grin, "She used to play pranks on all the other kids and she used to get into so many fights with other kids that all the secretaries and principals used to know her by name."

Greg smirked, laughing, "I can see it."

Reggie impishly stuck her tongue out at Greg, and Nate interrupted them, "Okay, lovebirds, to your rooms."

Nate led them up the stairs, stopping in the upstairs hall to ask, "Are you guys staying in one room or do you want separate ones?"

Greg grinned, tugging affectionately at Reggie's hair and answering before Reggie could, "Separate. We've only been together a week and we're not quite there yet."

Reggie blushed slightly as she smiled shyly at Greg and Nate said, "Cool, Reg, you can have this one and Greg can have the further one."

Reggie smiled, entering her room, calling back, "Thanks again for letting us stay here Nate."

"No problem Reg," Nate called back, waiting for the door to close before turning to Greg. The younger man fidgeted nervously under his gaze, as Nate looked him up and down. Finally, Nate stuck out his hand, saying, "You're a good man, Greg Sanders. Not many men would have answered that question or admitted to that like you did."

Greg shrugged, blushing slightly under the other man's praise, shaking the proffered hand lightly as he answered, "Reggie's too special to be treated like anything other than a queen. I'm not going to rush her into anything-she deserves better than that."

Nate's grin broadened and he clapped the smaller man on the shoulder, "Good answer, Sanders. It's nice to finally find a guy good enough for my sister."

Greg returned the grin before entering his own room to unpack and have a nap to help stave off the jet lag. Nate regarded his door thoughtfully a moment before turning back to his sister's room. Knocking lightly, he twisted the knob without waiting for an answer to find his sister sprawled out on the bed, gazing at the ceiling with a little smile on her face.

Nate smiled at the familiar scene, remembering the many times in his childhood when he'd walk into his sister's room to find her in he exact same position. And, like he always had in childhood, Nate walked over to her bed, Reggie scooting wordlessly over. Nate flopped down beside her and the siblings giggled slightly at the bouncing it caused before falling into silence as they gazed up at the ceiling.

"I like him," Nate said finally, turning his head to regard his sister's face, "He seems to really care about you."

"I like him too," Reggie confided, mimicking her brother's actions so that he could see the way her eyes sparkled without her knowledge.

Nate regarded her thoughtfully a moment before a large grin spread over his face, "You're falling for him!"

"_Completely!_" Reggie confirmed with a grin, "And it's so scary. But it's also the coolest experience I've ever been through in my life. He's so…unpredictable! For our first date, he took me to a carnival! And he stops by after his shift all the time and takes me out for coffee or sits on Sara's couch and watches TV with me. He's so wacky and amusing, but also gentle and caring. And he's just…I don't know!"

Reggie sighed blissfully, her gaze returning to the ceiling wistfully. Nate laughed, slipping an arm under her head to pull her close and kiss her forehead.

"Aw, my little Reggie's all grown up!" he teased gently, grinning when she smacked him before saying seriously, "But, really, Reg, I'm happy for you, Greg's a great guy."

Reggie's grin could brighten a room as she replied, "I know."  
**XoXoXoXo**

**A/N HEY! Sorry about the wait guys but I moved two weeks ago and then my computer was busted and I'm currently struggling to catch up on the work I missed at school last week when I was sick for 4 days! Yikes! But, anyway, this one was longer than normal anyway and I hope you like it! I'll try and update again as soon as I can-which should be tomorrow since I have a half day, but no promises, kay?**

'**My Luv,**

**Red**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.**

**Welcome to the Family**

Chapter 7 

Sara sighed, staring dejectedly around her empty apartment. The pillows and blanket Reggie had been using were folded neatly atop the arm of the couch and she'd arranged the couch cushions just the way that Sara liked them before she'd left, 'though she hadn't bothered to do that the whole week. The duffel bag that had somehow always managed to end up in front of the doorway for Sara to trip over was gone and Sara found herself extremely upset over this. Her sister hadn't even been gone a day and she already missed her!

The sudden ringing of her cell phone brought Sara out of her musings and she answered with a sniffled, "Hello?"

"Sara?" Nick's voice was concerned and Sara could just see the crease in his brow, "What's the matter babe?"

Sara sniffled again, pushing away her tears as she answered, "Nothing's wrong, Nicky."

Nock's soft smile could be heard in his voice as he stated more than asked, "You miss her, don't you."

"Yes," she answered reluctantly, plopping dejectedly on the couch as she said, "I'm so used to the cushions all over the place, her shoes and duffel bag in the way and my stereo on a different station every time I walk in. It's too clean and too quiet."

"See, I knew you were going to feel like this so I got you a present." Nick said, his proud grin fairly oozing through the connection.

"Really?" Sara perked up slightly, "What is it?"

"Well, if you'd open the door then you'll see," Nick said, and Sara could hear his familiar laugh through the door.

Sara grinned, flipping the phone shut as she jumped off the couch to comply. She flung the door open to find Nick in the doorway a medium-sized box in one hand, his cell phone in the other. He grinned at Sara as she opened the door, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"A present for the sad lady," he grinned, handing over the box carefully, "Careful-and don't shake it."

Sara grinned excitedly, moving quickly-but _carefully_- back to he sofa, leaving an amused and slightly nervous Nick to shut the door. Eyes dancing, Sara opened the box flaps, squealing with delight when she found out what the box contained.

Nestled on a soft blanket inside the box were a pair of kittens. They were both orange, although one was slightly darker and the other had a white paw and a white ring around one eye. They both stared sleepily up at Sara, tiny pink noses twitching at the curious new smells.

"Oh!" Sara breathed excitedly, "They're so cute!

Nick grinned, sliding onto the couch beside her and reaching into the box to tickle one under the chin, "They're both boys. I figured that way you wouldn't have to get 'em fixed. A buddy of mine gave 'em to me for free-his cat had 6 and he didn't want any of them. They've already got their shots too."

"What are there names?" Sara asked, giggling as the darker kitten swatted at her dangling fingers.

"They don't have any. You get to name them." Nick grinned, "Now what are you going to name them?"

Sara took only a moment to think before happily declaring, "Oliver and O'Malley!"

"As in Oliver and Company and  The Aristocrats?" Nick laughed.

"Yes," Sara grinned, "The darker one is O'Malley and the lighter one will be Oliver."

Nick shook his head, staring at Sara with unconcealed desire, huskily murmuring, "You're crazy."

"Thanks," Sara whispered breathlessly, her own desire making her eyes sparkle and dance slightly.

Nick grinned, putting the kitten box on the ground before pulling Sara into him. He caught her lips greedily, moaning as he felt her willing response.

And in the box, two kittens purred contentedly.

XoXoXoXo Reggie yawned as she rolled out of bed, carelessly throwing her hair up into a bun. Stifling a yawn, she padded from her room, stopping in the bathroom before continuing downstairs to raid her brother's fridge. 

"Hey Reg," Greg grinned, eyeing her rumpled appearance as she stepped into the kitchen where he and Nate were sitting at the kitchen table, playing cards.

"'Lo," she answered, unembarrassed by her appearance as she walked to the closest cupboard, extracting a Pop Tart with a happy grin.

"Don't eat too much," Nate said distractedly as he stared at his cards with a furrowed brow, "We're going to mom's for dinner in about an hour."

"What?" Reggie screeched, uneaten PopTart forgotten halfway to her mouth, "Why did you tell her I was coming today? I was going to wait until tomorrow to talk to her-the less contact with her the better lately!"

"Tell me about it," Nate said with a roll of his eyes, cards forgotten, "And I didn't tell her. The oh-so-lovely Jessica did."

"Ugh. Stupid bitch," Reggie cursed.

"Erm-not to sound rude or nothing," Greg interrupted with an upraised eyebrow, "But what the hell are you guys talking about?"

Reggie giggled at her boyfriend's puzzlement before sighing resignedly. Pulling herself up to sit on the counter, she began, "Nate and I don't exactly get along with our mom anymore. We used to, but after I found out I was adopted and decided to search for my bio. family, she's always on my case about something."

"And, of course, she flipped out when she found out I was gay," Nate said dryly, "I told her when I was 18 and she told me to get out of her house-talked about how I was an abomination to God and such. But once Dad found out I hadn't actually left but been forced out, he put his foot down and basically told her to shut up."

"Dad's the better parent," Reggie said simply with a soft smile, "So, anyway, that's why we didn't want to go. Oh-and Jessica is my older brother, Louis', wife-she and I hate each other, just because."

"It's hard to imagine anyone hating you," Greg said truthfully.

"Suck up," Nate teased with a grin.

Greg rolled his eyes, "Kiss my ass."

"Gladly," Nate answered with a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows.

"Sorry, Nate, he's mine." Nate grinned, hopping off the counter to wrap her arms around Greg's neck from behind, her perfectly intact Pop Tart forgotten on the counter top.

Greg smiled, lifting on of her arms to place a gentle kiss on her wrist, smile widening as he felt her pulse flutter wildly at the action. Reggie smiled shyly back at him in answer leaning down to press a gentle kiss to his lips before stepping away from him.

"What time do we have to be at Mom and Dad's?" Reggie asked with a reluctant wrinkle of her nose.

"6"

"It's quarter after 5!" Reggie shrieked, eyes widening, "Get off your asses and get ready!"

"Yes'm!" Nate saluted, marching cheekily from the room.

"Relax, baby!" Greg soothed gently, standing to slip his arms around her waist, "It's not that big of a deal if we're late."

"I really don't want to go!" Reggie whined, wrapping her own arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest, "It really must suck that you have to put up with meeting The Parents of your girlfriend-of-one-week." She added, her woods muffled by his shirt.

"Just a little," Greg answered, gently kissing the top of her head, "But this just means you'll have to spend our first holiday together meeting _our_ family."

"Kay" Reggie agreed without hesitation, before pulling away and playfully swatting his arm as she turned, calling over her shoulder, "Come on, Greggy, time to get ready!"  
**XoXoXoXo**

After a teenage-like make-out session (tongued, giggles, moans and wandering hands included) on Sara's couch, Nick and Sara took Oliver and O'Malley to the Pet store. Both kittens had fallen in love with Sara and the feeling was mutual-which earned her a lot of teasing from Nick.

As they stepped into the store, both kittens, who'd been cradled in Sara's arms, climbed up onto either one of her shoulders. O'Malley sat on her right shoulder, his tiny tail wrapped halfway across her neck-since that was as far as it could reach- while Oliver, on her left, leaned lightly against the side of her head, his own head moving curiously from side to side, like at a tennis match, as he gazed about him.

Nick laughed at her but slipped his arm around her waist, chuckling slightly when O'Malley swatted at his shoulder, "I think the like you more than they like me, Sar."

Grinning mischievously, Sara answered, "Love, _everyone_ likes me more than you!"

"You wish," Nick grinned back, chuckling as Sara's own arm slipped around his waist as she stuck her hand into his pocket.

The next hour was spent on buying anything and everything for Sara's newest roommates. Both received a new collar (black for Oliver and blue for O'Malley), a bed big enough to fit two full-grown cats for each of them (and when Nick pointed this out to her, Sara promptly told him to shut up and let her spoil 'her babies') a couple of scratching posts (which both cats sniffed dubiously), a semi-large contraption of tunnels and rooms (Nick loudly lamented the 'assembly required' label, knowing that he'd be the one assembling it-until Sara gave him a sexy pout and batted her eyelashes prettily at him), a hunter green litter box and a cart full of toys, food and snacks.

An hour and a half after entering the store, Nick pushed the cart, laden with their purchases and both kittens, down the cash aisle. Sara, walking ahead of him, stopped suddenly, causing him to only narrowly miss her.

"Look Nicky," she said excitedly, turning to him with a grin, oblivious to his near miss, as she pointed at the large blue machine in front of her, "It makes name and address tags!"

Nick raised an eyebrow at his other half, his lips curving into an amused half-smile at Sara's antics. Shaking his head slightly at her childlike enthusiasm for the kittens, he pushed the cart forward, parking it sideways in front of the machine as the pair looked at the screen.

"Fill in the blanks, pick your design, hit enter and your tag will be ready in minutes," Nick read, grinning slightly as Sara shuddered at the sensation of his breath on the back of her neck after she'd inserted the required 5$ bill.

"Name: O'Malley," Sara typed in, giggling as she only verbally added, "the alley cat."

Nick laughed, standing behind her as she typed. He wrapped his arms around her waist, settling his chin on her shoulder as he made joking comments as she filled in the OWNER, ADDRESS and CITY spots and then hit enter.

"Oh, look!" she yelled with excitement, pointing at the screen where different tag designs had appeared on the screen, among them a bone, a paw, an oval and a rectangle.

"Pick the paw," Nick urged, having gotten caught up in her childlike enthusiasm.

"What if I don't want to pick the paw?" Sara teased, eyes dancing.

"You want to," Nick assured her, making her shiver as he pressed a kiss to her neck, "it's the coolest one there for a cat- and everyone knows you've just _got _to be co-ol!"

Sara giggled, hitting the button for the paw tag. While the computer engraved the information, Sara settled back against Nick's chest, resting her head back against his shoulder to grin up at him.

Nick smiled gently back, kissing just beside her eye as he murmured, "You know what, Sara Sidle?"

"What?" Sara grinned, her smile stretching across her face as she said her part in the familiar conversation that the pair had had numerous times-and one that Sara never tired of.

"I love you." Nick grinned back, kissing her nose just as the machine beeped, spitting out O'Malley's new tag.

"Love you too," Sara smiled before repeating the earlier process for the tag but making it a blue paw for Oliver.

Once Oliver's tag was done, Sara picked up both from the small container that the machine had ejected them into. Turning and stepping out of Nick's arms, Sara walked over to the cart, where the two kittens were sitting in the kiddy seat, staring over the cart's handle at the pair of human's curiously.

Oliver didn't take well to having his neck encased in a collar and, while his girlfriend was distracted with the struggle to put the collar on the kitten, Nick put in another 5$bill and began typing. He finished typing and picked the bone design when Sara had finally collared Oliver and she turned to him suspiciously, having heard him hit the enter key.

"What are you doing Stokes?" she demanded, eyeing him dubiously.

"You'll see, darlin'," Nick grinned back before stepping forward, asking courteously, "Would you like me to help with O'Malley?"

Sara continued to eye Nick, but stepped back to allow Nick the honours. O'Malley, unlike Oliver, just stared calmly up at Nick while he clipped on the collar and tag. Moments after he finished, the machine beeped.

Nick picked up the red bone-tag with a grin. Chuckling slightly, he handed the tag over to Sara, grinning mischievously. Sara accepted it, looking down before bursting into laughter.

It read;

"Nicholas Stokes

Property of Sara Meaghan Sidle

Please return if her gets lost-"

Sara giggled, shaking her head at him before handing it back, fully expecting him to just throw it out as a practical joke. Nick, however, grinned at her before threading the tag onto a black cord necklace around his neck.

At Sara's curious, questioning look, Nick grinned, leaning forward to whisper in her ear, "I'm always yours, Sara. Always."  
**XoXoXoXo**

**A/N Next one will be ups ASAP! **

'**My Luv,**

**Red**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.**

**Welcome to the Family**

Chapter 8 

"Reg, what kind of clothes am I supposed to be wearing?" Greg yelled, despite the fact that all three of them were in their own, separate rooms.

"Something nice!" she yelled back distractedly.

"What do you mean by 'nice'?"

"Just wear anything!" Nate answered, stepping out of his room and into the hallway, dressed in tan slacks with a black belt and a plain black shirt.

"Don't tell him that!" Reggie wailed, "He'll end up wearing a neon pink Speedo!"

Nate laughed as Greg indignantly yelled, "I would not!" there was a pause before he laughingly added, "I'd wear my jungle-print loincloth!"

"Greg!" Reggie yelled warningly, though both men could hear the laughter in her voice.

"Oh, come on Reg, I've got more decency than that!" Greg yelled back with a grin.

Silence fell as the two continued to get ready before Greg yelled, "Reggie, what is it I'm supposed to be wearing again?"(Even though he was already almost dressed-it was just fun to rile her up!)

"Gregory Olaf Sanders, if you make me poke myself with my damn eyeliner _one_ more time I'll…" she paused thoughtfully, "call Sara!"

"Sorry!" Greg yelled immediately, "I didn't mean it! I'll be good!"

Nate laughed even as Greg stepped out of his room. He was dressed in a pair of slightly baggy white khakis and a black button-up shirt with flames creeping up the hem overtop of a plain white T-shirt. To keep part of his wackiness, he'd done his crazy hairstyle and worn his black sneakers with duct tape on the toe.

"Shut up Nate," Greg grinned, "Sara's freaky when she's mad-and she knows how to kill me and leave no evidence behind."

Reggie snorted as she, too, stepped into the hall, "You'd know Greg-she probably has a notebook full of ways to kill you and make it look like an accident."

But Greg wasn't really listening anymore, too occupied with taking in Reggie's beautiful form. She was dressed in a white spaghetti-strap dress covered in silver stars and moons. It had a scoop-neck that revealed the top of her breasts and that ended just above her knees but held slits up both sides that showed a liberal amount of tan thigh. Her hair was pulled up in an artfully done messy bun and she wore only the slightest traces of make-up to enhance her eyes and lips. On her feet, she wore a pair of black, knee-high boots that zipped up on one side.

"You. Are. _Gorgeous_!" Greg breathed softly, forgetting about Nate as he stepped forward towards Reggie.

"Thanks," Reggie blushed slightly, fiddling with one of the straps on her dress as she nervously bit her lip.

Greg grinned mischievously, leaning forward as he huskily asked, "What-no thank you kiss?"

Reggie returned the grin, an impish gleam appearing in her eyes. She stepped forward, sliding into Greg's arms, pressing herself flush against him. Greg moaned slightly, his arms wrapping around her waist to bring her yet closer while Reggie's arms slid up his chest and around his neck.

Reggie went up on her tiptoes, leaning forward until their lips were only centimeters apart. Greg's eyes were half closed, his breathing erratic as Reggie's breath washed over his lips.

Reggie grinned, her eyes dancing as she answered softly, "You wish."

Greg groaned as Reggie pulled out of his arms, throwing him a devilish grin. Nate watched the pair, chuckling slightly at his sister's antics but watching Greg sharply for the other man's reaction to being teased like that.

But Greg just grinned, his won eyes dancing with amusement as he tugged Reggie gently back into his arms, kissing her forehead as he teasingly responded, "I don't have to wish for anything, Reggie baby. You know you want me!"

Reggie laughed softly, giggling back, "In your dreams, Sanders."

"Every night babe." Greg returned, flashing her a grin.

Nate made a loud, immature, gagging sound, causing the pair to remember his presence. The two turned to him to see a look of complete innocence on his face.

"Sorry to interrupt this oh-so tender moment," Nate teased, "But we're going to be late if we don't hurry."

Reggie's grin faded and she bit her lip nervously, asking, "Hey Nate? Do you think mom's going to be really mad that I hung up on her last week and then never called her back?"

"Yes." Nate smirked, "But at least this way she'll refrain from making snide comments towards me."

"Oh, _thanks_ Nate." Reggie pouted grumpily.

"Aw, I'm just kidding Reg." He paused. "Er-well, maybe not, because it's true, but…Dad's going to be there!"

Reggie still looked uncertain so Greg slipped his arms down around her waist and, giving her a squeeze as he kissed the top of her head, he assured her, "Don't worry Reggie-baby, I'll protect you."

Reggie smiled softly, gazing adoringly up at Greg as she murmured, "Thanks Greg." She sighed, taking a deep breath before straightening herself, but not removing herself from Greg's arms as she said, "Alright guys, let's go."  
**XoXoXoXo**

Sara sighed contentedly, fiddling lightly with the tag around Nick's neck. They'd arrived at work only to discover that it was a slow night so the pair had crashed on the break room couch. Nick had fallen asleep quickly, exhausted from the day's shopping and…other activities. He was stretched full-length on the couch, one arm under her head with the other wrapped around Sara's waist. Sara lay on top of him, her head and one hand resting on his chest while her other hand played with the tag around his neck.

Slowly, Sara's own eyelids drooped, her breathing evening out to match Nick's as she fell asleep, the tag still clutched in one hand. A few moments later, Catherine, Warrick and Grissom entered the room. "Oh," Catherine said in surprise, a gentle smile gracing her features as she took in the pair.

"Aw," Warrick laughed, "Look at the pair of love-birds!"

"Warrick!" Catherine hissed, smacking his arm, "Shut up before you wake them up!"

"Ow! Cath!" Warrick complained, rubbing at his now-sore arm.

"Okay children, settle down," Grissom said with a roll of his eyes, making himself a cup of coffee, "Anyone know where Greg stashed his Blue Hawaiian?"

"No," Catherine pouted, "But I wish I did!"

"No one knows where Greg stashes his stuff!" Warrick complained.

The 3 carried on some light conversation, their banter the easy kind they'd done all the time they'd spent together. While, on the couch, the pair slumbered away, oblivious to their friends, but completely aware of each other.  
**XoXoXoXo**

"C'mon, baby, out of the car," Greg said, laughing slightly at his girlfriend's refusal to get out of the truck.

They'd pulled into the elder Peterson's driveway five minutes ago and Reggie was still in the truck. Both of the men had already exited the truck, but Reggie remained in the cab of the truck, staring nervously up at the house.

"I don't wanna. Can't we just go back to Vegas?" Reggie pouted at Greg.

"Regina, you're being ridiculous," Nate said with frustration, "And the longer you take, the longer mom's going to make us stay to make up for it.

Reggie continued to pout but Greg reached his hand into the cab and she reluctantly took it. Using Greg's hand for assistance, she slid across the seat and jumped down from the truck. After straightening out her dress, she settled gratefully against Greg's side as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"C'mon," she sighed, "Let's get this over with."

Nate laughed softly, leading the way up to the two-story, four-bedroom house. The trio stepped up onto the porch and Nate rang the doorbell, chuckling slightly at Reggie's wince as the door swung open.

The man who opened the door was almost identical to Nate-only a few years older. His ebony hair was longer, however, reaching to the nape of his neck, and pulled back in a low ponytail and his eye were a darker green. His grin, however, was the same as Nate's.

"It's about time! Mom's going _nuts_!" the man laughed upon sighting the trio.

"We're only 5 minutes late." Nate complained with a roll of his eyes.

"Shut up Nate," the man grinned back before turning to Reggie with a full blown smile, demanding, "How you doing' Reggie?"

"I'm good Jakie," she smiled, stepping away from Greg to hug her oldest brother, adding, "Jake, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Gregory Sanders. Greg, this is my oldest brother, Jacob Peterson."

"Nice to meet you," Greg smiled, holding out his hand for the other man to shake while his other reclaimed it's place around Reggie's waist as she stepped back to his side.

"He make you happy?" Jake asked Reggie, eyeing Greg up and down.

"Very," Reggie smiled brilliantly back.

"Then it's nice to meet you too," Jake grinned, shaking Greg's proffered hand before turning, "Come one guys, before mom has a fit."

Reggie sighed but obediently followed after her brothers. Greg, sensing her nervousness and uncertainty, leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, his arm securely holding her by his side.

Reggie smiled gratefully at him, taking a deep breath and then stepping into the living room where everyone was. Sitting on the L shaped couch were her parents and twin brothers along with their wives. On the small couch opposite them was Jake's wife and he quickly claimed his seat by her side and Nate beside him, leaving the pair alone in the doorway.

"Hey everyone," Reggie smiled, slightly nervous despite Greg's reassuring arm.

"Reggie!" the twins yelled in excitement, jumping from the couch to envelop their only sister in a sandwich-hug, Greg stepping quickly out of the way.

Reggie laughed delightedly, hugging both men back. They were both the same build as Jake and Nate, but with brown eyes and chestnut brown hair. The only difference was that one twin had chin-length hair while the other's was about the same length as Nate's. The next one up and hugging Reggie was Jake's wife, a slim, willowy green-eyed blonde. After her was the shorter-haired-twin's wife-a petite, blue-eyed redhead. Then, it was Reggie's father.

"Ginny!" he smiled, enveloping her tightly in his strong arms.

"Daddy!" she smiled back, hugging him back just as fiercely.

All four boys obviously got their builds from their father. Timothy Peterson, despite his 67 years, was still well over 6 feet tall. His chestnut brown hair was short and streaked through with grey, and his green eyes, surrounded by lines created by years of laughter and smiles, were still as sharp as ever.

"Regina," The other twin's wife-a slim, steely-grey eyed blonde- said coldly with an impersonal nod.

"Jessica," Reggie returned in the same tone of voice.

"It's good to have you home, Regina," Reggie's mother interrupted, "where you belong."

65-year-old Betty Peterson was a small woman, easily dwarfed by all her children. Her once-black hair was now mostly grey and her green eyes were slightly hard.

Reggie sighed tiredly, answering, "I'm moving to Vegas Mom. I already told you that."

Betty sighed over-exaggeratedly, "Regina, you're much too old for melodramatics!"

"I learned from the best," Reggie shot back.

"Regina Lauren Peterson, do not speak to me like that!" Betty snapped as the rest of the Peterson family flinched, knowing what was coming.

"Sidle. My last name is _Sidle_!" Reggie said, eyes flashing slightly.

"Why do you do this to me? Huh!" Betty yelled, throwing her arms up in the air dramatically, "I raised you and yet you treat me like dirt!"

"Because _you_ treat _me_ like dirt!" Reggie yelled back, her eyes flooded with hurt and anger, "Mom, look around you! I treat the rest of the family the same way I did before I decided to start searching for my biological family, because they treat me the same way! But you-every time I talk to you, you argue with me about it! I can't do anything right, according to _you_! I-"

"Reggie-baby, calm down," Greg stepped in, his heart constricting at the break in her voice and the tears in her eyes, slipping an arm around her shoulders.

Reggie turned into him immediately, burying her head in his neck. Greg's other arm went around her waist, hugging her to him while she tried to regain her composure.

"It's alright baby, it's alright," Greg soother in a murmur, kissing the top of her head gently as he stroked her hair in comfort.

"Who the hell are you?" Betty demanded rudely.

Reggie pulled back from Greg's arms, wiping impatiently at her face. She turned back to face the room full of her relatives, all gazing curiously at Reggie and Greg, making sure to keep Greg's arm around her waist.

"Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Greg Sanders," she said, calmer now, "Greg, that's Jake's wife, Melayna, my second oldest brother Louis" the longer haired twin, "and his wife, Jessica, his twin and my third eldest brother James and his wife Nicole. That's my mother, Beatrice, and my father, Timothy."

Greg nodded to the room at large, saying a gruff, "Nice to meet you."

Greg couldn't help but dislike Betty and Jessica immediately because of their treatment of _his_ Reggie (he couldn't help but think of her as his). He didn't really have any feelings towards the others, as he didn't really know them-except for Nate, who he liked immensely, and Timothy, who he was _extremely_ apprehensive about, as he always was with hid girlfriend's dads.

"What, you're already spreading your legs for someone new?" Betty sneered.

Reggie's eyes went wide and her face paled, like she'd been struck. She took a step back, right into Greg.

"Shut up!" Greg growled at the older woman, his eyes snapping with fury, "Your daughter is a wonderful, amazing woman who happens to love you-'though God only knows why, because I can't understand it! Reggie had every right to search for her biological family, and they had every right to meet her, but you have _no _right to talk to her like that!

"I met Reggie through her sister, Sara-who I've known for _years._ Sara and Reggie absolutely love each other, and you have no right to try and ruin that for them with your stupid attitude.

"_And_, although it's _none_ of your goddamn business, Reggie and I aren't sleeping together. I came down to help her out because I didn't want her to pack everything and drive by herself," Greg said angrily.

"We're leaving," Nate added, rushing past his family and after Greg, who was gently leading the still-shocked Reggie out, and sarcastically adding, "It was nice to see you all again! We should do this again sometime."

Reggie willingly allowed the two men to bring her back to the truck. Almost as soon as the three were seated, she burst into tears.

"Sh, baby, it's okay." Greg soothed, slipping his arms around her.

"What's wrong with me?" She sobbed into his chest, "Why can't she just love me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you, sweetheart," Greg murmured hoarsely, fighting back his own tears at Reggie's heartbreaking sobs.

"It's okay Reg, we don't need her." Nate murmured, reaching out and picking up her hand.

By the time they'd pulled into Nate's driveway a half an hour later, Reggie had cried herself to sleep. Not wanting to wake her, Greg gently eased her onto the seat, stepping out of the truck before reaching back in and lifting her into his arms.

"Mm," Reggie mumbled as she woke slightly, raising her head a bit from Greg's chest.

"Sh, baby, go back to sleep." Greg murmured softly, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Reggie mumbled slightly again but he n fell back asleep, making Greg smile affectionately as he mounted the two-step porch. Nate grinned slightly at him as he unlocked the door, and Greg stepped in, carefully kicking his shoes off at the door. Yawning slightly, he turned and mounted the steps behind Nate.

"You got everything?" Nate asked softly as they reached the upstairs hallway.

"Yea, I got her," Greg smiled back, "'Night Nate."

"'Night Greg." Nate yawned, stepping into his own room after opening Reggie's door for Greg.

Greg gently eased Reggie onto the queen-sized bed. She was slightly awake now, but Greg still eased her boots off for her, placing them at the end of the bed. Gently, he stood her up again, letting her lean against him as he gently took of her dress.

Sitting her back down on the bed, where she almost fell asleep sitting up, he pulled a tank top and boxer pajama set from her duffel bag. Gently and carefully he redressed her, ignoring the amount of skin he'd just been exposed to. Instead, he gently eased her back onto the bed, pulling the covers up around her.

As he turned to go, her hand came out and grabbed onto his wrist, as she sleepily pleaded, "No, don't go."

Greg sighed, coming back to crouch beside the bed at her head as he said, "I have to go baby."

"No. Stay. Please?"

"Are you sure?" Greg asked, weakening at the sound of her pleading voice.

"Very sure." She whispered, her eyes opening to gaze into his, a lot more alert than she had been a few moments ago.

"Alright," Greg sighed with a gentle smile as he stood.

He undressed to his white T-shirt and black silk boxers and walked around to the other side of the bed, flipping off the bedside lamp and sliding in beside Reggie. Reggie moved into his arms instantly, resting her head on his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist. One of Greg's hands rested on her hip, his other running softly through her hair while their legs tangled together.

Greg kissed the top of Reggie's head, softly whispering, "Sweet dreams, baby."

"Sweet dreams, Greg," she answered sleepily, even as her eyes drooped and she drifter back to sleep, safe in the arms of the man that she now loved.  
**XoXoXoXo**

**A/N A/N Hey guys, what's up? Sorry for the delay, but hey, I've got a life people! Anyway, updates are going to be only like once a week now, 'cause I have exams coming up. I will try and get more than that up, but I can't make any promises.**

**Lots of love and thanks to;**

**HPnCSILover**

**Icklebitodd: Lol, I know the feeling, hun.**

**Mma63: lol, who _doesn't_ want to have him?**

**Anyway, gotta fly, my lovelies, so I'll see ya later. **

**My Love,**

** Red**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.**

**Welcome to the Family**

Chapter 9 

Sara rolled off the couch-and Nick- landing on the floor with a thud and a groan. Nick chuckled sleepily at her from the couch while she glared angrily up at Warrick, who'd been the one to wake her.

"Sorry Sar," Warrick said innocently.

"Bit me Brown," Sara grumbled, heaving herself up off the ground.

"That's Nicky's job, not mine," Warrick returned with a rakish grin

"Yup, and I like that job." Nick confirmed happily, pulling Sara back onto the couch by her belt loop.

"Ah! Nick!" Sara laughingly protested as his arms held her securely down by his side. She giggled, playfully slapping his chest, "Ass."

"But you love me anyway." Nick returned with a boyish grin.

"Well," She teased lightly, eyes laughing in delight, "Every girl needs some arm candy!"

"Arm candy? I'm just _arm_ candy?" Nick playfully demanded, "I'll show _you_ 'arm candy'!"

Sara shrieked with laughter as Nick's fingers danced over her sides, tickling her mercilessly. Sara squirmed, trying to get away, but Nick's arm held her firmly in place. Suddenly, 'though, Sara's arm hit Nick in the chest, making him 'oomph' and let go of her as she toppled, again, to the floor, laughing breathlessly.

Nick rubbed at his chest gingerly, but grinned down at his girlfriend, who smiled back, eyes dancing. Warrick, still leaning against the back of the couch , shook his head, laughing slightly at his best friends. The happy moment was interrupted, however, by Grissom noisily banging into the room.

"Lets go." Was all he said before he was gone from the room again.

The trio shared bewildered looks and scrambled to their feet and after their boss. They followed after Grissom, who led them though the halls and out to the parking lot. There, he gave them an address and then got into his Tahoe and speeding away.

"What-?" Warrick asked, staring after the elder man with a furrowed brow.

Nick and Sara shrugged, befuddled themselves. The trio shrugged before getting into their respective cars and driving away to the address.

Catherine was waiting for them when they got there. As were dozens of reporters held back from the one-story bungalow house with police tape.

The quartet stepped under the line and into the front hallway where Grissom was already waiting. The four younger CSIs stared expectantly at him.

Grissom sighed softly and then began the explanation, "Alexandria Enders was 18 when she was raped by 3 separate men after being abducted on her way home from school. The men had planned to kill her but were interrupted and she got away. However, she also ended up pregnant-her daughter Elizabeth is now 16. Their neighbours heard yelling, screams and then a couple of gunshots.

"The responding officer found this," Grissom led them into the living room of the house, where the man lay face up on the ground with a shot through the chest and one that grazed his forehead, surrounded by a pool of blood, "Both Alexandria and Elizabeth are missing. Neighbour who called it in said he heard a car speeding away from the house.

"I'll take upstairs," Nick said, face grim.

"_We'_ll take up stairs," Warrick corrected, following the Texan from the room.

"I'll check the exits," Sara said, following after them.

"Gil, since when have you called victims by their first names?" Catherine asked curiously after a few minutes of silently gathering evidence.

Grissom sighed wearily, raising his eyes to Catherine as he answered sadly, "Since the victims are my daughter and granddaughter."  
**XoXoXoXo**

Reggie woke the next morning still in Greg's arms. Sleepily, she tilted her head up to see his face, to find him grinning down at her, threading some of her hair gently through his fingers.

"Morning baby," he grinned softly, brushing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"G'morning," Reggie yawned sleepily, laying her head back down and snuggling closer to him, unwilling to be dragged from sleep.

Greg chuckled lightly, his arm tightening slightly around her as he settled back against the pillows, resuming his earlier activity of watching Reggie. Not the creepy-stalker kind of watching, but the how-on-earth-did-I-ever-manage-to-find-the-woman-that-I-love kind of watching.

Because Greg was in love, head-over-heels, irretrievably lost in her. Reggie could match his wild side, but could also match his intellectual side-and she wasn't creeped out by the dead body aspect of his job like most of his ex-es had been.

Taking a deep breath, he whispered softly, "Hey Reg?"

"Yea?" Reggie asked on a sigh, having given up on the fruitless attempt to regain her sleep-and the dream with her and Greg.

"You awake?"

"No, I talk coherently in my sleep all the time," Reggie teased gently, lifting her head to grin at him, but instead finding herself drowning in a sharp breath at the love she found in the honey-brown gaze.

"I love you, Regina Lauren Sidle," he whispered softly, "God only knows how _I_ know that after only a week, but I do."

"Oh Greg," she smiled, her eyes filling with tears as she sniffled, "I love you too."

"Good," Greg grinned, his smile from ear to ear as his eyes danced with laughter.

No less than 2 seconds later, he couldn't contain himself anymore. He gave a loud 'whoop' of laughter and happiness, crushing Reggie to his body, making her laugh aloud as she joined his excitement before crashing her lips to his.

The kiss was long and lingering; short and wild; sensuous and gentle; rough and sexy; out-of-this-world; languorous anything and everything but, always, it held their love for each other.  
**XoXoXoXo**

"Hey 'Rick, what's this look like to you?" Nick asked, gazing curiously at a blob of liquid on the floor at the top of the stairs.

Warrick came out of the master bedroom and crouched opposite the Texan. Both men cocked their heads curiously at the dark purple liquid that had pieces of glass and some blood mixed in with it.

"Dunno," Warrick answered, taking out a pair of tweezers and pulling a piece of glass from the liquid. Frowning, he held it up, asking curiously, "What is it this from?"

Nick frowned thoughtfully before suggesting, "Maybe the liquid was in a glass in one of the vic's hands and she dropped it, maybe cut her foot-could have nothing at all to do with this."

"Or everything," Warrick murmured, slipping the piece of glass into an evidence envelope.

Nick pulled his own tweezers out of his kit-after taking a couple of pictures-and bent to help Warrick remove the rest of the glass. Warrick had just taken a swab of the liquid to bring back to Hodges when a yell interrupted the semi-quiet of the house.

"WHAT?" Catherine screeched from the living room.

Nick and Warrick shared an uncertain look, but the sound of Sara's footsteps moving to the living room decided for them. Leaving their kits where they were, the pair moved swiftly down the stairs and into the living room, careful not to disturb any evidence.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked as he and Warrick stepped into the living room moments after Sara, to find Grissom rubbing a weary hand over his face, with Catherine gaping stupidly at him a few steps away.

"Grissom. Daughter. Granddaughter," Catherine spluttered incoherently

"What? Cath, relax." Warrick frowned in concern, crossing quickly to her side.

Grissom sighed, "The victims are my daughter and granddaughter.

"What?" the three younger CSIs gaped.

Grissom sighed again, suddenly looking his age as he said, "I didn't know them until a couple of weeks ago, Alex's mom didn't want me to know. I'll explain more of it later, but just get back to work now, _please!_ We have to find them."  
**XoXoXoXo**

"Hungry, babe?" Greg asked, hours later, glancing across the basement at Reggie, who was elbow deep in boxes.

The pair had gotten up and gotten dressed soon after they'd woken up. After a quick breakfast, the pair had descended to the basement to decide what Reggie wanted to keep and what she was going to pass on to nieces or nephews or Goodwill. And then, of course, they'd have to start re-packing everything to fit into the U-Haul truck with enough room for the furniture she had stashed away in a storage locker.

"Yea," Reggie yawned, pulling more knickknacks from a box before standing. Stretching languorously, she padded to Greg's side, where he'd been re-packing the stuff Reggie wanted, and slipped her hand into his, grinning up at him, "C'mon, fieldmouse, let's go raid Nate's fridge. He won't know, since he's not here!"

Greg laughed, starting the trek through the maze of boxes, her hand held firmly in his, as he asked, "Where did he go, anyway?"

"He met a guy a few days before I left for Vegas and he's been seeing him since. They went out to lunch and then Nate's bringing him back to meet us before we leave," she answered, willingly letting him lead the way.

"But we're not leaving until the day after tomorrow," Greg said, finally reaching the stairs and stepping back to let her lead the way up.

"Yea, but Eric-the boyfriend- has some kind of meeting tomorrow," Reggie answered as they ascended the stairs.

"Oh, that's cool," Greg answered, stepping out after Reggie and shutting the basement door after himself before joking, "Should I expect more talk about what a 'stud' I am?"

Reggie laughed, shaking her head at him, but the doorbell rang before she could reply. Reggie sighed, throwing a longing glance towards the kitchen but changing direction to answer the door. Greg laughed lightly at her, shaking his head before grabbing her wrist, spinning her around back to the kitchen.

Kissing the back of her now-exposed neck, he said, "You start the sandwiches and I'll get the door."

"Thanks Greggy," she grinned, throwing a grin back at him over her shoulder as she began retreating to the kitchen.

Greg grinned devilishly at her, swatting her bottom before turning back to the door. Opening the door, his cheerful grin faded as he was met by Betty Peterson.

"Hello," Greg said solemnly, his eyes hard, "I'm afraid Nate's not here, but I'm sure he'll call you when he gets in."

"I'd like to speak to Regina," Betty said coldly, sneering contemptuously at Greg.

Greg's eyes flashed angrily at the look she'd given him and he responded just as coldly, "I'm afraid Reggie isn't available at the moment."

"They left you alone in this house?" Betty screeched indignantly.

"I didn't say that, did I?" Greg demanded calmly, 'though his snapping eyes betrayed him, "I said that Reggie isn't available at the moment."

"She'll see me," Betty said with rude certainty.

"Actually," Greg said coldly, "I think you're the last person she wants to see after the way you treated her last night.

"Listen, -George, was it?- this is none of your business so just go get my daughter." Betty spat rudely.

"It's _Greg_, and, considering the fact that I love your daughter very much, I think it _is_ my business since the only thing you can seem to do is hurt her," Greg returned, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got better things to do."

"No, I will not excuse you, you arrogant brat!" Betty screamed, shoving the door open wider in an attempt to intimidate Greg, who remained unfazed.

Drawn by the raised voices, Reggie came out of the kitchen. Her mouth dropped open in surprise at the sight of her boyfriend and her mother nose-to-nose, growling angrily, but neither party noticed her.

"I think you should leave, Mrs. Peterson. When you come back and talk to Reggie, you better be a hell of a lot calmer," Greg said, his tone finally letting his anger show, his lips curling as he added, "And sober."

"You can't speak to me like that you damn bastard!" Betty screeched, even as Timothy, in a black Honda Civic up along the curb, "Let me talk to my daughter!"

"No!" Greg angrily refused, as Timothy jumped from his car, his face livid as he strode up the driveway, but Greg continued anyway, "You are a selfish, spiteful bitch, Betty Peterson. Your daughter, who isn't even related to you, still loves you anyway, despite all the bullshit you've put her through!"

"You son of a bitch!" Betty shrieked hysterically, her hand flying out of nowhere to connect hard with Greg's cheek.

"Greg!" Reggie shrieked with concern, at the same time that Timothy reached the door, racing towards her lover.

"I'm okay Reggie," he assured her, his eyes sad as she gently touched his already reddening cheek.

"Betty," Timothy ground out angrily, grabbing her arm in a vice-like grip, "Get out of here!"

"You can't-!"

"Get out of here!" Tim yelled angrily, forcefully propelling her down the two steps and to her car where he opened the door for her and pushed her in.

"God, Greg, I'm sorry," Reggie whispered tearfully, gently tracing the print mark on his cheek, "I'm sorry."

"Hey now, it's not your fault, baby," Greg answered softly, wrapping her tiny fingers into his larger ones and gently kissing her knuckles, "It's not your fault, Reggie, I provoked her into it."

Reggie pulled back, swiping at the tears on her cheeks as, her eyes blazing, she said angrily, "It's not your fault either, Greg, it's _hers_! She just doesn't know how to be a _normal_ human being, a _normal_ mother!"

Suddenly, Reggie's tears were flowing harder and she collapsed into Greg's arms, not noticing her mother squealing out of the driveway or her father remounting the steps. Greg's arms closed securely around her and he murmured soft assurances in her ear, letting her cry into his chest without complaint.

She cried for her mother, a woman who'd once been her best friend, until Reggie had started her search for her biological family, for the woman who'd taught her to love life to it's fullest but who couldn't live up to it in the end. She cried for herself, for the young woman who could no longer gain the approval of her own mother no matter what she did, not like she could have before she'' started her search.

But Greg's arms held her securely, letting her know without words that she was safe, that she was loved. And she clung to him, letting him support her for just a little while.

"C'mon, baby. Let's go inside," Greg said softly, pressing his lips to her hair before gently leading her into the house, nodding expressionlessly at Tim as the older man followed.

Entering Nate's living room, Greg sat on the couch, pulling Reggie onto his lip, unselfconscious despite her father's presence in the room. Reggie just clung to him, unaware of anything but the sadness her mother caused in her and of Greg's warm presence.

Tim stood in the doorway, silently watching the scene unfold before him. He watched his daughter-his youngest child and only daughter, his baby- safely enveloped in a man-whom he didn't know, but who gazed at his daughter with so much love it was almost painful-'s arms

And all he could do was smile.  
**XoXoXoXo**

**A/N Hey people! What's up? Sorry about the wait guys, but it's going to be like that for about two more weeks, 'cuz I've got exams coming up and I've got to cram. But I'll do my best, kay? Well, gotta jet!**

**Luv, **

**Red**


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.

**Welcome to the Family**

Chapter 10 

The team had spent almost double the time on the evidence- collecting as they normally did, going over everything with a fine-tooth comb. But finally, after nearly 5 hours of collecting, the team returned to the CSI building. After another hour, in which they started running fingerprints and handed off their various evidence to the appropriate techs, they (along with Brass) met back up in the break room to discuss the case and the fact that the victims were Grissom's 34-year-old daughter and 16-year-old granddaughter.

Grissom waited for everyone to be seated around the table before he launched right into the story without prompting, "I met Marsha Enders-Alexandria's mother-when I was 21. It was love at first sight for me, but Marsha was…she wasn't a one-man kind of girl. But she didn't let anyone know that.

"We dated for 3 years, until, after we were finished college, I asked her to marry me. We'd been married a little over a year when Allie was born. But then, one night, when Allie was only 3 months old, I came home from work to find Marsha in bed with another man.

He took a deep, shaky breath, "I flipped. Told her I wanted a divorce, that I was going to get full custody of Allie. But she fought me in court. And, because I didn't have any proof but my word that she'd been having an affair, the judge ruled in her favour-little girls do better with their mothers than their fathers apparently."  
He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, "Marsha wouldn't even send me pictures of Allie as she grew up-she went so far as to get a restraining order on me, claiming I was harassing her. I never told you guys because I was so ashamed that I never saw it-I'm a CSI for God's sake-and because I was sure that Marsha would have turned Allie against me.

"But, last week, Allie called. It turns out Marsha only raised her until she was 16-when Allie got r-raped, and when Marsha found out that Allie was pregnant and going to keep the baby. After that, Allie was on her own.

"Marsha refused to tell Allie my name because she didn't want Allie coming to me-and she wasn't even sure that I was Allie's father, either. But Allie hired a P.I and has been searching for me for years.

"I hadn't told you guys yet because I was still getting to know Allie and Liz and I was being selfish, wanting to keep them to myself for the moment," Grissom finished, placing his elbows on the table and his head in his hands.

The rest of the nightshift stared around at each other. They each had expressions of shock, betrayal, hurt and happiness, none being quite able to decide what they felt foremost. Finally, Sara was the first to speak.

Pushing aside all other emotions, she focused on the task at hand, saying, "Okay, let's deal with all of this later. For now-Griss, who are her enemies?"

Grissom sighed, throwing Sara a grateful glance before saying, "Honestly, I can't think of anyone but the three men who…raped her/ All 3 were identified-Paul Waters, Tyler Stevens and Mark Evans, but only Evans got caught."

"Wait," Nick said, flipping quickly through the file in front of him, "You said Paul Waters?"

"Yea."

Nick gave a grim smile of satisfaction as he found the page, reading from it, "The dead guy in the living room was identified as one Paul Waters."

"Then it's got to be Stevens who's got them." Warrick deduced.

"Not necessarily," Grissom cautioned, as always, "We _can't_ get ahead of the evidence."

"Right," Sara agreed, suggesting, "Maybe a relative of Evans' wanted revenge."

"Could have been a relative of any of the men," Catherine pointed out.

"Makes sense," Sara nodded, "Wait, Griss, how were they identified in the…first crime?"

"Allie picked them out from mug shots," he answered thoughtfully.

"So, with Alexandria out of the way, the other two couldn't have been proven guilty," Warrick paused, "Evans could benefit from it too-could get an appeal and possibly win if the only evidence was Alexandria's testimony."

"Alright," Grissom said, eyes alight with the passion to find his daughter and granddaughter, "Nicky, Warrick, get started on all that evidence. Cath, go talk to Doc Robbins about the body and then join Sara, who's going to get me the living family tree of all three men. Jim-we've got a prisoner to see."  
**XoXoXoXo**

Nate, along with his new boyfriend Eric (a 5"11 blue-eyes brunette race-car driver) arrived home only a few minutes after their encounter with Reggie' smother. While Greg calmly recounted the tale, Reggie slowly calmed down, her tears easing as Greg's arms held her close.

"What the hell is her problem?" Nate demanded angrily, 'though he wasn't exactly expecting an answer.

Despite the fact that he'd only known Greg for a day, Nate liked the younger man greatly. Greg was a wacky, wild young man who could keep up with his sister's crazy side, but who was unafraid to be gentleman in front of other guys. His mother, meanwhile, was a spiteful, uncaring bitchy bigot who had turned on him because he couldn't help who he loved.

"Her problem," Tim said, his voice cutting through Nate's tirade before it could even begin, "Is that we're going to get a divorce."

"What?" Nate and Reggie demanded simultaneously, staring at their father wide-eyed.

"Your mother and I haven't been getting along for a long time," Tim sighed, "She isn't the same woman that I married, the woman that I fell in love with," he paused again before sighing in resignation, "Your mother…when Nate was 17 and Ginny 15, your mother started drinking. It wasn't heavy then-nothing that either of you would have noticed. But after…after Nate came out and Ginny decided to search for her biological family, she started using that as an excuse to drink even more. It was a stupid excuse, of course, and there wasn't any truth to any of it-she just wanted people to believe that she had a reason for her addiction.

"I tried guys," Tim sighed apologetically to his children, "I really did. I went to meetings with her- I went to my own meetings about how to deal with an alcoholic spouse-but I can't do it anymore. I told her a few days ago that I wanted a divorce. Last night's gathering had a double motive-we were going to tell everyone last night. It's why your mother was so rotten last night."

"She's not my mother," Nate said softly, his soft voice cutting across the silence like a gunshot.

"What?" Reggie asked, startled, as the others turned shocked eyes to the young man.

"She's not my mother," Nate repeated firmly with a slight shake of his head, "I don't want her as my mother. She can't accept me for who I am-the only reason she's even talking to me now is 'cause of Dad. And the only real reason that I've put up with all of her crap all these years was because of Dad-and so I don't have to anymore."

Reggie sighed, nodding understandingly, "I don't think she's my mother anymore either. She won't accept my decision and I can't put up with all of her insults and snide comments anymore. I'll always lover her, but I love _Mom_- crazy, wacky Mom who used to dress up with us for Halloween and taught me how to dance in the rain, not _Betty Peterson_-the alcoholic who couldn't accept her son and daughter for who they are."

Tim smiled sadly as he added, "After you guys left last night, I told the rest of the boys about the divorce. They blame me."

"That's because they're momma's boys." Reggie sneered.

"Relax Reggie-baby," Greg said calmly, kissing the top of her head.

Reggie deflated visibly, murmuring, "Sorry Greggy, dad, guys. It's just that they've always been closer to Mom then we have and she's always favoured them. And they let that cloud their judgement."

"Like you wouldn't do the same if it were me," Tim teased with a gentle smile.

"Yea Daddy's girl," Nate added teasingly.

"Shut up _Daddy's boy_!" Reggie returned, sticking her tongue out at him childishly, Nate quickly returning the gesture.

Tim deadpanned, "I raised my children to be so mature."  
**XoXoXoXo**

"Look, I _don't know_ where Paul and Tyler are! I haven't talked to them since that night!" Mark Evans said impatiently.

He was a thin, greasy-looking white man in his early 40s. He had buzz cut black hair with grey eyes and a scar that stretched across his left temple that, Grissom knew, had come from Allie.

"Oh, you mean the night the three of you raped and then tried to kill my daughter?" Grissom demanded in a dangerously low voice as he lent across the table so the man could see the murder in his eyes.

"Y-Y-Your daughter?" Evans stuttered weakly, shrinking back from the older man in fear.

"Yea,_ my daughter._" Grissom said, eyes flashing as he lent even closer, "And your _buddies_ now have my daughter _and_ granddaughter. And, since I can't seem to find _them_, it looks like I'll have to take my anger out on _you_ since you're the only one here."

"Y-Y-You can't d-do that! I-It's police brutality! I'll-I'll sue!" Evans said desperately, scooting his chair back from the table.

:It's a good thing I'm not the police then, huh?" Grissom asked softly.

Evans' eyes widened and he turned desperately to Brass, "You're a cop-you can't let him do that!"

"Well, I don't know," Brass said slowly, "I could just have the sudden urge to go have a coffee…"

Evans whimpered in fear, eyes darting between the two men fearfully. Both Brass' and Grissom's eyes flashed with disgust at the pitiful excuse for a man before them. When Evans still remained silent, Jim began walking towards the door.

"No, no wait! Don't leave me with him!" Evans yelled, "I'll talk, I'll talk!"

"Alright, _talk._" Jim demanded sternly as he pulled up a chair beside Grissom.

"Okay, look, I really do feel bad about what we did to her- honestly," he said, "About a week ago Paul and Tyler showed up-started talking about how they wanted to get back at her. Apparently, Paul's been following her for about a year and a half, since he happened to spot her one day by chance." He paused, "They asked me if I wanted in on it-if I knew of anyone who could hook them up."

"Did you?"

"No," Evans shook his head, "Look guys, I'm up for parole in a few weeks-why the hell would I do something as stupid as helping kidnap that girl and her child? I told them it was a no go-we put that girl through enough as it is."

"Why the reverse now?" Brass asked curiously as Gil stood in frustration.

Evans gave a self-deprecating half-smile as he answered simply, "I know how she felt now."  
**XoXoXoXo**

"Okay, is this all of it?" Greg asked as he hopped out of the moving van, wiping his sweaty brow.

"Yup, all the furniture anyway," Reggie answered as she came up in front of him from the storage room, slipping her arms around his neck as she asked, "Have I told you how great you are yet today?"

Greg chuckled, slipping his own arms to their customary place around her waist as he joked, "Yea, but I think it's about time for me to hear it again."

"You are the greatest boyfriend in the world," Reggie grinned, pressing a kiss to Greg's lips and murmuring, "I love you Greggy."

"I love you too, _Regina_," Greg said with a teasing lilt to his voice, as he dropped his head further, sucking gently on her neck.

"Mmm," Reggie moaned in pleasure, tilting her head back to give Greg better access to her neck.

Greg grinned, nipping her lightly before pulling back. Laughing at her pout, he disentangled them from each other.

"We've still got to get back to Nate's and load the boxes," he pointed out, laughing at her wrinkled nose, "C'mon, babe, if we finish in time, I'll take you out for a romantic dinner."

"You will?" she asked excitedly. At Greg's amused nod, she grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the truck, as she demanded, "Let's go!"  
**XoXoXoXo**

**A/N Ha! That's right, you got what was coming to you Evans! You dirty slimy man! Haha lolz, sorry guys:D Anyway, there's only two chapters left and they'll be up as soon as I can get them up, kay? Oh, and thanks to my ONE reviewer, Space-Case7029! I expect more than ONE people! I mean, come one, TWO is what I expect!;) lol, just joshin' ya guys! Anyway, got to go, but PLEASE review! **

**Luv,**

**Red**


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.

**Welcome to the Family**

**Chapter 11**

"Neither Paul Waters or Tyler Stevens are registered anywhere in Vegas," Nick told the team.

"However," Sara cut in, "We put their pictures through DMV and we got their alias'."

Nick dropped a piece of paper with a driver's license on it onto the table, "Eugene Watson, a.k.a. Paul Waters."

"And Stewart James, a.k.a. Tyler Stevens," Sara said, dropping another piece of paper on the table beside Nick's.

"They've both lived together in an apartment for the last 3 years, but the super said he hasn't seen either of them seen either of them in about 6 months," Nick continued, "He gets their rent in the mail every month, 'though."

"Anything from the scene?" Grissom asked, frowning slightly at the fact that the two men couldn't be found.

"The glass from that liquid Nicky found was just plain glass from a cup or a mug. Mia is still working on the liquid- it isn't any known chemical so she's trying to break it down and find out what it is." Warrick answered, "There was nothing else upstairs to suggest that those men were there."

"I also found black fibers caught in the back door. Cotton fibers, so they aren't much," Sara continued, "But there was also a smudged fingerprint in the same liquid Nick found. It belonged to Waters, so we know that the chemical was brought in by the men and not by the two women."

"All the blood in the living room belongs to a male," Catherine said, "It belongs to Waters and an unidentified male who shares seven alleles in common with him."

"Which would make it one of his sons," Sara said, pushing two photos more prominently onto the table from a file with the suspects' family tree/pictures in it. "I'm thinking it was probably the younger son, Anthony, since Paul Jr. is currently serving a lifetime sentence in Canada for the rapes and murders of 11 girls."

"Like father, like son," Grissom sighed, "So we really don't have anything, do we?"

"Oh, we've got something," Mia assured him as she entered the room, "Problem is, I just don't know what."

"What do you mean you don't know what?" Grissom demanded tersely with a tense frown.

Mia shrugged, shaking her head in bafflement as she answered, "Just that-I don't know what this stuff is. The blood mixed in with the chemical is female blood and matches the DNA taken from Elizabeth's hairbrush, but I just can't figure out what the liquid is." She paused, "We need Greg."

"I'll call him." Nick sighed, already dialing the number of Greg's cell as he stood and walked from the room, his own cell phone pressed to his ear.

"I'll see what I can find out about Anthony Waters," Sara jumped up, quickly tracing her lover's path from the room.

"I'll go over the evidence again," Warrick sighed, following the path of the others, Mia walking wearily at his side.

"You okay?" Catherine asked Grissom gently, placing a hand on her boss'-and best friend's- shoulder.

"What if I can't find them?" Grissom asked, eyes filled with desperation and helplessness, "What if I just lost my little girls?"

"We'll find them Gil, we always do," Catherine said softly, standing and rounding the table to hug the still sitting man.

Gil turned his chair to face her with the intention of returning to his emotionless-gruesome-Grissom façade. Instead, he found himself staring into the adoring blue gaze of the woman he'd always loved and admired.

Gil leant forward, one arm reaching out to pull Catherine sideways into his lap, the other resting on the nape of her neck. Catherine's arms slipped around Gil's neck and she, too, leaned forward, their lips meeting in a slow, sensual kiss.

They pulled apart moments later, breathing heavy with passion. All Catherine could find to say, was "I love you, Gilbert Grissom."

Grissom grinned, tugging her head in to kiss her again, but not before he murmured to her, "I love you too, Catherine Willows, I love you too."  
**XoXoXoXo**

Greg, Reggie, Nate and Tim all flopped tiredly to the floor of Nate's living room. They had spent almost 3 hours loading the boxes into the U-Haul van. Well, Greg and Reggie had spent 3 hours at work on the packing as Nate and Tim had been at work in the shop and had only had to help for the last hour or so.

Silence fell over the room as they all concentrated on not falling asleep at 6 o'clock on a weeknight. The ringing of Greg's cell phone interrupted them, and, without even bothering to change his position, Greg pulled it from the phone case on his hip.

"Sanders." He greeted with a yawn, "Oh, hey Nicky, what's up?" there was a pause before Greg shot up into a sitting position, asking, "He what? _Griss_?……Mia doesn't know at all what it is?……Of course you don't, you aren't a tech……I'll get the next flight home that I can. Tell everyone that I love them. Bye Nicky."

"Greg? What's going on?" Reggie asked once Greg flipped the phone shut with a sigh, Reggie sitting up to touch Greg's shoulder gently.

Greg sighed, running a weary hand over his face as he said tiredly, "Griss' daughter and granddaughter have been kidnapped. I don't know everything, but they've got pretty much nothing for evidence-except an unidentifiable purple liquid. They need my help," he paused, glancing apologetically at Reggie as he added, "I'm sorry Reg, really, I am, but I've got to go home to help them."

"Of course you have to!" Reggie exclaimed understandingly, "They're your family! I only wish that I could come with you, but I'll just meet you there in a few days in the van."

"I can drive the van down, Reggie," Nate offered suddenly, "I've got about a week and a half's vacation."

"Nate, I can't-"

"You didn't," Nate grinningly added, "Besides, who wouldn't want to go to Vegas? It'll be fun!"

"Thanks Nate," Reggie grinned, flinging herself into her brother's arms excitedly, "You're the greatest!"

"Course I am," Nate grinned back, before dumping her out of hid lap, saying, "Now go on, you two have a plane to board!"  
**XoXoXoXo**

Greg and Reggie arrived in Vegas at 2 AM that morning. They drove straight to the lab from the airport, and, while Greg went straight to the DNA lab, Reggie crashed sleepily on the break room couch, Greg's jacket pulled snuggly over her.

Greg stood beside Mia in the lab twenty minutes later, the pair frowning in confusion at the 19 different chemical names on the computer screen in front of them.

Greg scratched his head in thought before saying aloud, "These three here at the three most common chemicals found in chloroform and these four are four common elements found in the GSB date-rape drug. This one down here is most commonly found in another, less common knockout drug and _this_ one…this one's food colouring.

"They found it in a pool with broken glass from something like a glass cup, right?" Mia asked, "So maybe the kidnappers invented some kind of new knockout drug and had it in a glass or a vial and tried to force the women to drink it?"

"Ni-ice!" Greg said appreciatively, clapping Mia's shoulder before he left quickly, calling over his shoulder, "Great job Mia!"

Greg moved quickly through the halls and into the break room, their unofficial headquarters for this particular case. The nightshift team was all sitting around the table, papers, pictures and folders spread over the top of said table. Greg frowned slightly when he saw that the couch was vacant now, his jacket slung over the back, but he shrugged it off as Reggie probably needing either the bathroom or something to eat.

"Any of the perps got some kind of chemistry degree?" Greg asked by way of greeting, plopping into the free chair beside Nick.

"Hey Greg!", "Welcome back G!" and "Sup, Greggo?" echoed around the table. Greg grinned at them, laughing slightly at their enthusiasm-he'd only been gone a little over a day and they were acting like he'd been gone for years.

"Chemistry degree?" Grissom asked after a nod to Greg, flipping through a couple of folders, "No, no, why?"

"That purple substance you guys found was a specially created knockout drug," Greg answered, "You'd need some kind of lab and a chemistry degree. Any relatives with a chemistry degree?"

Sara pulled out two sheets of paper from a folder, saying, "The family trees of both Waters and Stevens."

"I'll take the Waters'," Warrick said, plucking the appropriate sheet from Sara's hands and standing to leave the room.

"Sit," Reggie commanded as she stepped into the room carrying 3 bags of various Chinese food, "You're all going to eat before you go anywhere else-you're going to make yourselves sick if you don't eat properly."

The team quickly cleared off the table and the food was passed out. They all scarfed it down quickly, only then realizing how hungry they really were.  
**XoXoXoXo**

An hour later had Warrick still sitting in front of the computer screen. None of Waters' immediate relatives had any type of chem degrees. He yawned, typing in another name before Reggie burst into the room.

"They've got him!" she cried excitedly, "Tyler Stevens' nephew Ralph is a chem major. He's in the box now."

"The box?" Warrick teased as he got up from his chair, stretching his arms above his head to ease the kinks from his shoulders.

"Yes. The box," Reggie replied impatiently, dancing from foot to foot before demanding, "Well, come on!"

Warrick laughed, but obediently moved to Reggie's side. Slipping a companionable arm around the young woman's shoulders, he led her quickly through the halls, the pair carrying on an easy conversation.

Reggie had stopped by most days during shift since she'd arrived in Vegas. Sometimes, she brought food along to feed the CSI crew, but she usually just hung out in the break room, carrying on conversation with anyone and everyone who came through the room. In this way, they'd all grown to love her like she was one of their own.

They reached the interrogation room within ten minutes. They slipped into the observation room alongside Nick, Sara and Greg. Brass, Grissom and Catherine were inside and already had the man spilling his guts.

"I didn't want to do it, but Uncle Tyler made me," Ralph Stevens, a brown haired man, whimpered pathetically, "He said that if I didn't make the drug for him he'd kill my daughter. She's only 6 years old!

"Where is he?" Grissom demanded in a growl, leaning forward into the man's face, "Where did he take them?"

"7-71 McKay Drive," Ralph stuttered nervously back as he leaned back from the stone-faced CSI leader, "Th-That's where he said he'd be."

"71 McKay Drive." Warrick repeated, turning and walking out of the door, calling over his shoulder, "Aren't you guys coming?"  
**XoXoXoXo**

**A/N Hey! What did you guys think? Let me know, huh? **

**Lots of love and thankses to:**

**Icklebitodd: Lol, I get that feeling sometimes too:D Well, I hope you end up liking it!**

**Space-Case7029:Thanks!**

**Nickysbabygirl: lol, that was my favourite part too! I was actually watching CSI at the time I wrote it and Brass and Grissom were interrogating a suspect and I thought "How cool would be if Brass…" so, then I switched it around to work for me:D**

**Aw, I'm so sad guys, there's only one chapter left and then it's done! Aw, I think I'm going to cry sad pout Well, I'll try and get it up asap, kay?**

'**My luv,**

**Red **


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I own Reggie, Betty Rogers, Fred the bear, Nathan, Oliver, O'Malley, Jacob Peterson, Betty Peterson, Jessica, Louis, James, Tim, Eric, Mark Evans, Tyler Stevens, Paul Waters, Allison Enders and Elizabeth Enders.

**Welcome to the Family**

**Chapter 12**

Alexandria Enders-Grissom hissed in pain, but leapt at the tall man trying to take away her daughter in determination. The pair of women had been taken a little over twenty hours ago, and they entire time they'd been beaten and ridiculed.

Allie's face was covered in fist- and hand-shaped bruises, as was Elizabeth's. They also had fist and boot-shaped marks all over the rest of their bodies as well. Allie was worse off than Elizabeth was since Allie had mouthed off to the men much more and had gotten in the way every time the men had gone after Elizabeth. Allie also had two cracked and one broken rib as well as a small cut above her left eyebrow which was bleeding quite steadily.

The two men-the older black haired man Allie recognized as Tyler Stevens and the tall young man who resembled Paul Waters-who Allie had shot with his own gun-, and who was named Tony, were just as bad off. Both Enders-Grissom women had given back whenever the men had come close enough-mostly with scratches from their inch-long nails.

And now Tony was trying to take Elizabeth away to do to her what the others had done to Allie years ago. But Allie was having none of it-_no one_ would hurt her baby while she was still alive and breathing.

Tony grunted in pain as the force of Allie's body knocked him back into the wall. The pair continued to struggle before Tyler suddenly pulled her off by the back of her hair.

Allie screamed and swung her arm backward to hit the man as Tony lunged at Elizabeth. Elizabeth screamed and struggled backwards before kicking her foot up as hard as she could and connecting with Tony's face, making his head snap back. This angered Tony more and he lunged again at Elizabeth, his bigger body landing hard on top of her smaller one.

Allie screamed in rage at the sight of the man mauling her child and kicked her foot into Tyler's shin hard enough to break it. Tyler let go of her with his own scream and Allie raced forward, kicking Tony so hard in the ribs she sent him flying off Elizabeth and into the wall.

Elizabeth scrambled to her feet and, clutching hands tightly, mother and daughter raced towards the stairs. Both stopped short, however, when the door to the basement opened and a man carrying a gun came down a few steps, aiming the gun into the basement at the men behind Allie and Elizabeth.

He was a tall, well-built black man. His curly hair was a mix of black, dark brown and light brown. His green eyes were alight with anger and determination, but his features still made Allie catch her breath.

"Duck, ladies!" he yelled commandingly as another young man with a gun stepped out behind him and a woman peeked cautiously around the door.

Allie, impulsively, shoved Elizabeth forwards and downwards, covering her daughter's body with her own. Behind her, she could hear Tyler and Tony scrambling for the guns she and Elizabeth had knocked from the pair's hands earlier. Six different shots rang out suddenly, and Elizabeth cried out fearfully.

There was the sound of multiple people thundering down the stairs and Allie raised herself up painfully. Elizabeth, too, sat up, whimpering in slight fear as she saw all the people before they were suddenly met with the sight of Gil racing down the stairs towards them.

"Grandpa!" Elizabeth yelled, the fear leaving her slightly in favour of relief as she flung herself to her feet, racing into her grandfather's arms gratefully, crying, "Thank god you're here, Grandpa!"

Allie pulled herself painfully to her feet before he r knees buckled under her, the floor racing up to meet her. However, a strong arm snaked around her waist to support her and Allie leaned gratefully against the accompanying body. She took a few moments to catch her breath before turning her head up to meet the green-eyes gaze of the man she'd first seen on the stairs.

"Hello Alexandria," he greeted with a gentle smile, "I'm Warrick Brown, I work with your father."

"You saved us," Allie murmured, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

And then there was darkness.  
**XoXoXoXo** When Allie next awoke, she was in a hospital bed with a flood of people in her room. She could feel that the cut above her eye had been stitched and that her ribs had been taped up. She could also feel the uncomfortable sensation of the IV drip in her had. No one had yet noticed she was awake and she let her eyes slowly travel over the occupants of the room, almost all of whom she didn't know. Her father was sitting in the chair at her side, talking to the strawberry-blonde woman nestled comfortably in hi lap. Elizabeth was sitting cross-legged at the end of the bed, which was mad e possible by her small, 5"1 frame not filling the bed, one hand curling the ends of the black hair they shared while she listened intently to a black-haired man who sat in a chair near her. Beside the man sat a pair of brunette women who could only be sisters, who were laughing at the blonde man's, who was standing over by the window, antics. And, holding her hand and sitting beside the bed, was the man she remembered as Warrick Brown, who, by the twinkle in his eyes, was quite amused by her obvious confusion. "Good evening Alexandria," Warrick greeted with a warm chuckle, making everyone turn their attention to the bed, "Nice of you to finally join us." "Mom!" Elizabeth cried with relief, "You're awake!" "Of course I'm awake," Allie smiled gently in reassurance to her daughter. "You missed all the introductions Mom," Elizabeth said, adding with a large grin, "We went from just us two to a _really_ big family!" "What on earth are you talking about El?" Allie asked with amused confusion. "Allie, honey," Gil said, "These people are my CSI team, but they're also more than that. They're my family-your family." "Catherine Willows," the strawberry blonde greeted with a welcoming grin, "Gil's girlfriend as of this morning." "Nick Stokes, it's real nice to meet you," the man El had been talking to said with a Texas accent and a melt-your-heart grin. "Sara Sidle." "Regina Sidle, but everyone calls me Reggie." "Greg Sanders." 

"And, as you already know, Warrick Brown," Warrick smiled at her gently, and Allie found herself drowning in warm green eyes.

"Welcome to the family Allie!" Reggie said with a grin, before dropping her voice to a whisper and saying to her sister, "Looks like we're not the only girls in love."

Elizabeth, still sitting alone on the bed, watched all the interactions going on around her with a slight grin.

'_We'll be okay now._' She thought to herself with a small smile as Greg launched into a well done impression of Gil when Greg had first met him and as she watched her mother speaking softly to Warrick, both of their eyes filled with warmth for the other, '_We'll be just fine now with our new family._'  
XoXoXoXo  
A/N I know it's short, but I wanted it finished. I'm really sad now:'( But, much thanks going out to:

icklebitodd-yeah, it took me a while to come around to GCR too, but I think they're perfect for each other now!

Space-Case7029-thanks hunny!

Anyway, reviews would be appreciated, as this IS the last chappy, but, don't worry, I'm fairly sure I'll have a new CSI fic up in the next few weeks-I've got a great idea for a Greg story that I'm still trying to unravel in my mind. But, I will get it up soon.

Review if you love chocolate!

Red


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